Which of the following statements best describes the idea behind the Carbon Assimilation Experiment on board the Viking landers?
A) living organisms in the soil should incorporate carbon from atmospheric gases
B) radioactive gases should be produced when radioactive nutrients are added to a soil sample
C) soil with living organisms in it should contain organic molecules
D) living organisms in the soil should give off gases when they metabolize nutrients

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Carbon Assimilation Experiment was designed to test whether living organisms in the soil could assimilate carbon from the atmosphere. This was done by adding a radioactive form of carbon to the soil and monitoring whether it was absorbed by any living organisms present. Option B and option D are incorrect because they refer to different types of experiments that were not conducted by the Viking landers. Option C is partially correct, as the experiment did involve testing for the presence of organic molecules in the soil, but it focused specifically on the process of carbon assimilation by living organisms.

Which of the Following Statements Best Describes the Idea Behind