116k views
5 votes
Why are many scientists concerned about humans adding large amounts of carbon to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (combustion)

User Juelz
by
3.9k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:

The atmosphere has a limited capacity to absorb and recycle carbon naturally.

Step-by-step explanation:

The carbon cycle tends to recycle carbon—moving it in and out of the atmosphere—at certain rates. If too much carbon is released into the atmosphere, this carbon will surpass the cycle's ability to remove it. This will result in the amount of carbon in the atmosphere increasing.

User Maximilien Belinga
by
3.2k points
5 votes

Answer:

The reason why scientists are concerned about the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels is because CO2 is a greenhouse gas.

Step-by-step explanation:

Greenhouse gases help keep the Earth warm. They trap infrared radiation, or heat energy. This makes them useful at certain levels; but if there is too much of them, they will cause global warming rates to increase, melting ice packs, thereby causing rising sea levels. Rising sea levels are a major threat tp humanity right now. New projections and satellite readings suggest that more than 150 million people's homes will be submerged by 2050, with some cities even being completely submerged. Other than rising sea levels, excessive amounts of greenhouse gases also cause loss of biodiversity, changes in wildlife behavior, and shifts in periodic biological phenomena.

User Liwen
by
3.9k points