why does clearing forests using fire contribute to the greenhouse effect?
a. Burning trees returns stored oxygen in the atmosphere as a gas.
b. Burning trees returns stored methane to the atmosphere as a gas.
c. Burning trees returns store nitrogen into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide.
d. Burning trees returns to start carbon in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
d. Burning trees returns stored carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
Clearing forests using fire releases large amounts of carbon stored in trees and vegetation into the atmosphere. When trees burn, the carbon they have accumulated over their lifetime is released as carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is known to contribute to the greenhouse effect, trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere and leading to climate change.
The correct answer is d. Burning trees returns stored carbon in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
When forests are cleared using fire, the process involves the combustion of trees and vegetation. During combustion, carbon stored in the trees is released in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, meaning it traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and climate change.
Therefore, clearing forests using fire increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, exacerbating the greenhouse effect and its impacts on the environment.
The correct answer is d. Burning trees returns stored carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
To understand why clearing forests using fire contributes to the greenhouse effect, we first need to understand the greenhouse effect itself. The greenhouse effect is the process by which certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat from the sun and prevent it from escaping into space. This is a natural phenomenon that helps regulate the Earth's temperature and makes it habitable for life.
When forests are burned, the combustion process releases carbon stored in the trees as carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into stored carbon through photosynthesis. By burning forests, the stored carbon is rapidly released back into the atmosphere as CO2.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, along with other gases such as methane and nitrous oxide. These greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change. The increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere from burning forests adds to the overall greenhouse effect, leading to an increase in Earth's temperature.
Therefore, by choosing option d, we understand that burning trees releases stored carbon as carbon dioxide, contributing to the greenhouse effect.