How fossil fuels have negatively effected the environment?

Answer 1

Fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas. These are burned to create energy. The by-products of burning fossil fuels enter the atmosphere and over time, have harmful effects.

One of these by-products is carbon dioxide. Scientists estimate about half of the emitted CO2 is not absorbed by the upper atmosphere. Because so much fossil fuel is burned, the amounts of CO2 release are very high. It is considered that the increases in carbon dioxide lead to large scale environmental damage such as acid rain.

Carbon dioxide that the remains in the upper atmosphere will tend to trap sun rays, which is called the "greenhouse effect" and leads to global warming. Scientists have identified an upward trend in the earth's temperature over the last 35 years. This is additional evidence that the global warming is occurring.

There are many other pollutants created by fossil fuels. Car exhaust contains carbon monoxide. Under the right conditions in cities, people can become sick from breathing carbon monoxide.

Burning of coal releases sulfur and nitrogen, which help form acid rain. This has been shown to be destructive to forests, near electrical plants that use coal as fuel.

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