If You Trace Back the History of a Carbon Atom

question 33

Multiple Choice

If you trace back the history of a carbon atom in your little finger through all of cosmic history, where did this atom most likely originate?

• A) it was made in the big bang
• B) it was fused from hydrogen atoms during the main-sequence stage of a star's life long before the Sun existed
• C) it was made from smaller nuclei in the hot core of the Earth when our planet first formed
• D) it was fused from 3 helium nuclei in the core of a red giant star long before the Sun existed
• E) it came from Bayonne, New Jersey (where a lot of carbon-rich soot originates)

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Definitions:

Interest

The charge for borrowing money or the return for lending money, expressed as a percentage of the loan amount.

Interest Rate

The percentage charged on a loan or paid on savings over a specific period, reflecting the cost of borrowing or the reward for saving.

Normal Return

The minimum profit necessary to keep a factor of production in its current use, essentially the opportunity cost of using resources.

Investment

The allocation of resources, such as capital or time, into a venture with the expectation of generating future returns.