Suppose an alien life form is discovered on another planet that takes in ch4 from the atmosphere. which of the following could be used to determine what happens to the ch4 after the organism consumes it?
a. chromatography
b. radioactive tracers
c. x-ray diffraction
d. organic synthesis

The right answer is B

A radiotracer is an entity composed of a carrier molecule and a detectable radioactive isotope using devices such as gamma cameras or positron emission tomography.

A radiotracer is either a radioactive isotope alone or the combination of a molecule and a radioactive isotope. In this case, it is said that the molecule is labeled by the radioactive isotope.

A radioactive isotope is an atom whose nucleus, unstable, emits radiation. It could be :

- alpha radiation consisting of two protons and two neutrons.

- a beta radiation consisting of a negative electron (beta) or a positive electron (beta +, positron).

- a gamma radiation consisting of a high energy photon.

in situ hybridization has been widely used for research applications, including clinical cytogenetics, gene mapping, tumor biology and studies of chromosome evolution.

a fossil fuel is a fuel formed by natural processes, such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms, containing energy originating in ancient photosynthesis.[1] the age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years.[2] fossil fuels contain high percentages of carbon and include petroleum, coal, and natural gas.[3] other commonly used derivatives include kerosene and propane. fossil fuels range from volatile materials with low carbon to hydrogen ratios like methane, to liquids like petroleum, to nonvolatile materials composed of almost pure carbon, like anthracite coal. methane can be found in hydrocarbon fields either alone, associated with oil, or in the form of methane clathrates.

the theory that fossil fuels formed from the fossilized remains of dead plants by exposure to heat and pressure in the earth's crust over millions of years was first introduced by andreas libavius "in his 1597 alchemia [alchymia]" and later by mikhail lomonosov "as early as 1757 and certainly by 1763".[4] the first use of the term "fossil fuel" was by the german chemist caspar neumann, in english translation in 1759.[5]

in 2017 the world's primary energy sources consisted of petroleum (34%), coal (28%), natural gas (23%), amounting to an 85% share for fossil fuels in primary energy consumption in the world.[6] non-fossil sources in 2006 included nuclear (8.5%), hydroelectric (6.3%), and others (geothermal, solar, tidal, wind, wood, waste) amounting to 0.9%.[7] world energy consumption was growing at about 2.3% per year. in 2015 about 18% of worldwide consumption was from renewable sources.[8]