Final answer:
The combustion of fossil fuels releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Step-by-step explanation:
Combustion of fossil fuels releases large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. The process of burning materials like coal, gasoline, and natural gas, releases not only carbon dioxide but also other greenhouse gases such as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). These gases are significant contributors to the greenhouse effect, trapping heat within the Earth's atmosphere and leading to global warming and climate change.
Other activities such as deforestation, cement manufacture, and the decomposition of waste in landfills also release carbon dioxide. While natural processes like photosynthesis can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the rate of these processes is often outstripped by the volume of emissions from human activities. As a result, high levels of these gases remain in the atmosphere, contributing to the increasing global temperatures and the associated impacts on climate patterns.