How does the carbon cycle work?
Luckily, more than half of the carbon dioxide emitted by the burning of fossil fuels is absorbed by the oceans, by plants, and by soils. Regardless, scientists feel fossil fuel consumption could be an example of a human activity that affects and possibly alters the natural processes (photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition) that nature had previously kept in balance. Many scientists believe that carbon dioxide is a “greenhouse gas.” This means that it traps heat and prevents it from escaping from Earth. As a result, this trapped gas leads to a global temperature rise, a natural phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect, which can have disastrous effects on Earth’s environment.
