Which of the following statements are correct about the deposits of 'methane hydrate'?
- 1.Global warming might trigger the release of methane gas from these deposits.
- 2.Large deposits of 'methane hydrate' are found in Arctic Tundra and under the seafloor.
- 3.Methane in atmosphere oxidizes to carbon dioxide after a decade or two.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Show answer
Answer: D. Statement 1 is correct: warming can destabilise methane hydrates (methane trapped in ice) and release methane. Statement 2 is correct: large deposits lie under Arctic permafrost and on the seafloor along continental margins. Statement 3 is correct: methane lasts about a decade in the air before it oxidises to carbon dioxide and water. So all three.
Watch for: Statement 3 sounds too precise, so students drop it, but methane's lifetime in air is about 9-12 years.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because statement 3 is also correct.
- B. Wrong because statement 1 is also correct.
- C. Wrong because statement 2 is also correct.
Source to check: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (2013), Working Group I, chapter on carbon and other biogeochemical cycles; US Geological Survey gas hydrates programme
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.