Carbon is one of the building blocks of life on Earth; all plants and animals are composed largely of carbon. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission is a normal part of the respiration cycle. CO2 is also emitted from the burning of plant or animal material. The burning of fossil fuels for energy causes CO2 to be emitted into the atmosphere, and forest clearing also results in a net increase in atmospheric CO2. Once in the atmosphere, CO2 acts as a greenhouse gas (GHG), trapping heat in the atmosphere... więcej

Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science, 2023. 2p.