The late 18th Century French scientist Antoine Lavoisier observed that a mouse sealed in a bell-jar soon fell asleep and ultimately died. Moreover, a burning candle similarly sealed in a bell jar quickly went out. In light of what we have argued about the fundamental nature of organisms, which of the following is the most likely outcome of putting the mouse and the candle together in the bell jar and the interpretation of any effects such a combination might have?
a. Combining the candle and the mouse in the same bell jar resulted in the mouse dying at the same time as in the absence of the candle but the candle going out later, because the mouse produced something sustaining the candle.
b. Combining the candle and the mouse in the same bell jar resulted in the mouse dying later and the candle going out at the same time as in the absence of the mouse, because the burning candle produced something useful to the living organism.
c. Combining the candle and the mouse in the same bell jar resulted in the mouse dying sooner and the candle going out sooner, because both processes, life and the burning candle, were making similar use of the same component of the atmosphere.
d. Combining the candle and the mouse in the same bell jar resulted in the mouse dying and the candle going out in the same time as when they were individually present, because fire and living metabolism are inherently unrelated processes.