Question

What happens when the fossil fuels are burnt ?

Answer 1

Fossil fuels: These are exhaustible resources and take a very long period of time to form. For example, coal and petrol are formed by the decomposition of the dead remains of plants and animals that undergo millions of years of compression to form these fuels.

When fossil fuels are burnt, the following occur:

1. The carbon content undergoes combustion to release carbon dioxide and water vapor.
2. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are both greenhouse gases responsible for trapping the heat from solar radiation and raising the global temperature of the Earth, thereby leading to global warming.
3. Global warming is characterized by severe climatic changes, habitat destruction, as well as health disruptions.
4. In addition to global warming, the burning of fossil fuels in insufficient oxygen supply leads to the formation of carbon monoxide which is poisonous and leads to death.