Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R

Assertion A: Biomass is considered as carbon neutral.
Reason R: The amount of carbon they emit is equal to the amount of carbon they have consumed during their life-time.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is A

Both Assertion A and Reason R are correct, and R correctly explains A. Biomass is often considered carbon neutral because it releases the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) upon combustion as it absorbed from the atmosphere during its growth phase. Plants absorb CO₂ through photosynthesis as they grow, and when this biomass is used for energy, it emits CO₂ back into the atmosphere. This forms a balanced cycle where the CO₂ released is roughly equal to the CO₂ absorbed, leading to the classification of biomass as carbon neutral.
Information Booster Biomass energy sources include materials like wood, agricultural waste, and organic residues. The term “carbon neutral” refers to the ideal situation where all CO₂ released during energy generation from biomass is offset by the CO₂ that the plants absorbed during their growth. This balanced exchange means that biomass energy generation theoretically does not contribute to an overall increase in atmospheric CO₂, provided that biomass resources are sustainably managed, such as by replanting trees or crops used for fuel.