Final answer:
The burning of fossil fuels contributes to climate change by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, enhancing the greenhouse effect, and trapping more heat on Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The burning of fossil fuels affects temperature change on Earth by increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which enhances the greenhouse effect and leads to global climate change. When coal, oil, and natural gas, which contain stored carbon from ancient plant and animal life, are burned, they release this carbon as carbon dioxide. This excess carbon dioxide traps more heat in the Earth's atmosphere by allowing sunlight to enter but preventing some of the heat from escaping, akin to the glass panels of a greenhouse. This trapped heat contributes to rising global temperatures, melting polar ice caps, and rising sea levels, among other environmental impacts.