Answer:
A. 6.96 x 10^-6 /day
B. 22.466 x 10^12 m^2
C. 9.1125 x 10^14 kg of CO2
Explanation:
A. Rate of rainforest destruction = 139.2 x 10^6 m^2/day
Initial area of the rainforest = 20 x 10^12 m^2
Therefore to calculate exponential rate in 1/day,
Rate of rainforest destruction/ initial area of rainforest
= 139.2 x 10^6/20 x 10^12
= 6.96 x 10^-6 /day
B. Rainforest left in 2015 using the rate in A.
2015 - 1975 = 40 years
(40 * 365 )days + 10 days (leap years)
= 14610 days
Area of rainforest in 1975 = 24.5 x 10^12m^2
Rate of rainforest destruction = 139.2 x 10^6 m^2/day
Area of rainforest in 2015 = 14610 * 139.2 x 10^6
= 2.034 x 10^12 m^2
Area left = area of rainforest in 1975 - area of rainforest destroyed in 40years
= 24.5 x 10^12 - 2.034 x 10^12
= 22.466 x 10^12 m^2
C. How much CO2 will be removed in 2025
Recall: Photosynthesis is the process of plants taking in CO2 and water to give glucose and O2.
So CO2 removed is the same as rainforest removed so we use the rate of rainforest removed in a day
Area of rainforest in 1975 = 24.5 x 10^12 m^2
Area of rainforest removed in 2025 = 18262 days * 139.2 x 10^6
= 2.54 x 10^12 m^2
Area of rainforest removed between 1975 - 2025 = 24.5 x 10^12 - 2.54 x 10^12
= 21.958 x 10^12 mC2 of rainforest removed
CO2 = 0.83kg/m^2.year
CO2 removed between 1975 - 2025 = 0.83 * 21.958 x 10^12 * 50 years
= 9.1125 x 10^14 kg of CO2 was removed between 1975 - 2025
