Question

Why are hydrothermal vents capable of nurturing deep-sea life?
A. They warm the water, creating a favorable temperature range for deep-sea life.
B. They provide migratory routes for underground bacteria to emerge on the sea floor.
C. They provide nutrients from Earth’s surface, which the deep-sea creatures can feed on.
D. They provide the right conditions for the formation of chemicals, which bacteria can use as a source of energy.
E. They provide migratory routes for vent creatures to emerge onto the sea floor, which deep-sea life can feed on.

Answer 1

These organisms were getting their food directly from the vents themselves. This process is known as chemosynthesis. Bacteria in the water actually feed on what would otherwise be a lethal soup of noxious chemicals. Smaller animals feed on these bacteria, and these smaller animals provide food for the larger animals.

Answer 2

Answer:

They provide the right conditions for the formation of chemicals, which bacteria can use as a source of energy.

Explanation:

D in Plato.