🔬 Science & TechnologyUPSC 2008Space & Space Technology

Consider the following:1. Rice fields2. Coal mining3. Domestic animals4. Wet landsWhich of the above are sources of methane, a major greenhouse gas?

a1 and 4 only
b2 and 3 only
c1, 2 and 3 only
d1, 2, 3 and 4
✓ Correct answer: d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
ExplanationMethane (CH₄) is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential over 25 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 100-year period.The primary sources of methane emissions can be categorized into natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) sources.Option 1 is correct: Rice fields emit methane due to the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in waterlogged conditions.This is a significant contributor to global methane emissions, particularly in rice-producing countries.Option 2 is correct: Coal mining releases methane trapped within coal seams during the mining process.This is known as fugitive methane emissions and is a key source of industrial methane.Option 3 is correct: Domestic animals, particularly ruminants like cattle and sheep, produce methane during enteric fermentation, a digestive process where microbes break down food in the stomach.Option 4 is correct: Wetlands are natural sources of methane, produced through the anaerobic decomposition of organic material in water-saturated soils.380

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