Final answer:
The increase in atmospheric CO₂ leads to global warming due to the greenhouse effect. When CO₂ concentration increases, it enhances the Earth's natural greenhouse effect by trapping more heat in the atmosphere. This causes the surface temperature of the Earth to rise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The increase in atmospheric CO2 leads to global warming due to the greenhouse effect. When CO2 concentration increases, it enhances the Earth's natural greenhouse effect by trapping more heat in the atmosphere. This causes the surface temperature of the Earth to rise.
The greenhouse effect works by allowing incoming solar radiation to pass through the atmosphere and reach the Earth's surface. Some of this radiation is then radiated back towards space, but greenhouse gases like CO2 absorb some of this energy and re-emit it in all directions, including back towards the Earth's surface. This process traps heat and warms the Earth.
While the relationship between CO2 and global warming is complex, it is clear that the increase in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere contributes to rising global temperatures.