AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants, cars and trucks, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas. Each year, five and a half billion tons of carbon is released by burning fossil fuels. Of this massive amount, 3.3 billion tons stays in the atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-2: -When fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the air. Greenhouse gases trap heat in our atmosphere, causing global warming.

Detailed explanation-3: -When humans burn these fuels for energy, vast amounts of carbon dioxide are released back into the atmosphere. This excess carbon dioxide changes our climate-increasing global temperatures, causing ocean acidification, and disrupting the planet’s ecosystems.

Detailed explanation-4: -Carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere by human activities. When hydrocarbon fuels (i.e. wood, coal, natural gas, gasoline, and oil) are burned, carbon dioxide is released. During combustion or burning, carbon from fossil fuels combine with oxygen in the air to form carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Detailed explanation-5: -During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and sunlight to create fuel-glucose and other sugars-for building plant structures. This process forms the foundation of the fast (biological) carbon cycle.