How does burning coal oil and natural gas add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?
The ingenuity people used in harnessing waterpower can be seen in this medieval-style mill. The waterwheel is turned by a stream and is connected to a shaft that leads into the building. At the other end of the shaft is a gear. The connection of a series of gears translates the power from the stream to a shaft that drives a millstone, which grinds flour from grain.
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Burning coal, oil, and natural gas releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere because these fossil fuels are composed of hydrocarbons and other carbon-rich organic compounds that have been sequestered in Earth’s crust for prehistoric periods.12
When these fuels undergo combustion—a chemical reaction involving oxidation—the carbon stored within them reacts with oxygen to produce CO₂ as a primary by-product. This process effectively returns carbon that was long removed from the natural carbon cycle back into the atmosphere in vast quantities.3452
Because CO₂ acts as a greenhouse gas, it absorbs infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface and reemits it downward, which traps heat and drives global warming. It is an ethical imperative to recognize that the continued reliance on these fuels significantly alters the climate, and many scientists advocate for a transition toward renewable energy to mitigate these environmental impacts.315