Oxygen-isotope analysis is a measurement technique that has been used in climate studies to determine the temperature of seawater by analyzing ____.
A)whale bones
B)sea weed
C)beach sand
D)tiny seashells of plankton
E)seafloor basalt

Question

Oxygen-isotope analysis is a measurement technique that has been used in climate studies to determine the temperature of seawater by analyzing ____. ​
A)whale bones
B)sea weed
C)beach sand
D)tiny seashells of plankton
E)seafloor basalt

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Oxygen-isotope analysis involves measuring the ratio of oxygen isotopes in the calcium carbonate of tiny seashells of plankton. This ratio changes with the temperature of the seawater in which the plankton lived, providing a record of past ocean temperatures.

Oxygen-Isotope Analysis Is a Measurement Technique That Has Been Used