Final answer:
The fuel that was used extensively during the Industrial Revolution and increased carbon dioxide levels was coal. Its substantial use began as Britain needed an alternative to wood and provided a significant energy source for industrial development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fuel used extensively during the Industrial Revolution which led to increases in levels of carbon dioxide was coal.
During the Industrial Revolution, coal became the predominant source of energy due to the depletion of wood resources and the increasing demand for energy to power new inventions and industrial machinery. As Britain's forests were depleted, coal usage increased significantly, leading to a major shift in energy consumption patterns. The burning of coal and other fossil fuels releases large amounts of CO₂ into the atmosphere, which contributes to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Biomass was the dominant energy source before the mid-18th century, but with the revolution's demand for higher energy outputs, coal became the primary fuel, leading to the eventual rise of oil and natural gas consumption much later. The large-scale extraction and combustion of fossil fuels during this period accelerated the industrial processes, thus greatly increasing the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.