Burning of fossil fuels a concern for scientists and environmentalists, why? (AS 6)

i. The fossil fuels includes coal, oil, and natural gas.

ii. The fossil fuels were formed hundreds of millions of years ago, and they still contain the carbon that was present in the organisms when they died.

iii. The carbon makes them a source of energy.

iv. When we burn coal, oil, and natural gas for fuel, large amount of carbon is released and it enters the atmosphere to combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO₂), a greenhouse gas.

v. Besides carbon dioxide, combustion of fossil fuels releases carbon monoxide in the environment. It is very harmful and poisonous gas.

vi. Greenhouse gases are contributing to global warming (increase of earth’s temperature) because they trap more of the Sun's energy in the Earth's atmosphere.