Science Olympiad Dynamic Planet Practice Test 2026 – Your Comprehensive Guide to Success!

The chosen answer highlights potassium as a significant contributor to heating in the Earth's interior through radioactive decay. Potassium-40, an isotope of potassium, undergoes radioactive decay and releases heat as a by-product of this process. This heating is crucial for maintaining geological activity within the Earth's mantle and crust, influencing processes such as mantle convection, plate tectonics, and volcanic activity.

In the context of the other elements listed, while hydrogen and oxygen are fundamental components of water and play vital roles in various geological and biological processes, they do not contribute to heating the Earth's interior through radioactive decay. Carbon, though involved in organic processes and carbon cycles, is not a significant contributor to radiogenic heat production like potassium. Therefore, potassium stands out as the primary element among those listed that generates heat through its radioactive decay in the Earth’s interior.