UPSC Prelims 2023 · Question 78 of 97
UPSC Prelims 2023 question on Carbon Capture Methods
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2023
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectEnvironment and Ecology
- TopicClimate Change
- DifficultyHard
- TypeStatement
Consider the following activities:
1. Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively.
2. Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime.
3. Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industries and pumping it into abandoned subterranean mines in the form of carbonated waters.
How many of the above activities are often considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration?
Show answer
Answer: C. All three
Verdict
All three activities are considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration → Option (c) All three.
Statement by statement
Statement 1 – CORRECT: Adding crushed rock dust to farmland could draw down up to two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air per year. The technique, known as enhanced rock weathering, involves spreading finely crushed basalt, a natural volcanic rock, on fields to boost the soil's ability to extract CO2 from the air.
Statement 2 – CORRECT: When you add lime to seawater, it reacts with that acid and neutralizes it, forming a carbonate ion. The effect is a boost in alkalinity to the ocean, and greater ocean alkalinity means more CO2 can be absorbed.
Statement 3 – CORRECT: Geological storage involves injecting CO2 captured from industrial processes into rock formations deep underground, thereby permanently removing it from the atmosphere. An extensive cap rock or barrier at the top of the formation contains the CO2 permanently.
More questions on Climate Change
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