Podcast
Questions and Answers
When organisms die, what typically happens to their bodies and the carbon they contain?
When organisms die, what typically happens to their bodies and the carbon they contain?
Decomposers usually break down their bodies, releasing carbon (and other nutrients).
What happened to the remains of land plants and marine algae millions of years ago?
What happened to the remains of land plants and marine algae millions of years ago?
The remains of many land plants were buried and transformed into coal deposits, while the remains of marine algae were transformed into oil or natural gas.
Why are coal, oil, and natural gas referred to as fossil fuels?
Why are coal, oil, and natural gas referred to as fossil fuels?
They are called fossil fuels because they are formed from the buried and transformed remains of ancient organisms, containing fossilized organic carbon.
