How do fossil fuels play a role in the carbon cycle?
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are formed from the remains of dead plants and animals that have been buried under the earth's surface for millions of years. When we extract and burn these fuels, we release the carbon that was stored in them back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
In the carbon cycle, carbon moves between the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms in a continuous cycle. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and use it to grow, and when they die, their carbon is either released back into the atmosphere through decomposition or stored in the soil. Similarly, animals release carbon dioxide through respiration and decompose after they die, which also returns carbon to the atmosphere.
Fossil fuels disrupt this natural carbon cycle by releasing carbon that was stored underground for millions of years, much faster than the natural carbon cycle can absorb it. This leads to an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming.
here are the answers which one is correct to the question.
Fossils fuels are rich in carbon, and burning them returns carbon to the soil.
Fossil fuels are rich in carbon, and burning them releases carbon into the atmosphere.
Fossil fuels require a lot of carbon to burn, which takes carbon out of the atmosphere .
Fossil fuels require a lot of carbon to burn, which releases carbon into the atmosphere.