The single human activity that is most likely to have large impact on the climate is the burning of "fossil fuels" such as coal, oil, and gas. These fuels contain carbon. Burning them makes carbon dioxide gas. Since the early 1800s, when people began burning large amounts of coal and oil, the amount of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere has increased by nearly 30%, and average global temperature appears to have risen between 1° and 2° F. Carbon dioxide gas traps solar heat in the atmosphere, partly in the same way as glass traps solar heat in a sunroom . For this reason, carbon dioxide is sometimes called a "greenhouse gas". As more carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere, solar heat has more trouble g

Examples of how large and rapid climate change might affect the natural environment.

* Plant Migration: Climate may change faster than plants can move from region to another. This may cause species extinction, lower biodiversity, and changes in the way species interact.

* Coral Reefs: Slightly warmer tropical water may kill the algae which reef animals use for food.

Scientists disagree about whether climate change will be a serious problem in the next 50 to 100 years. The main reason for this disagreement is that nobody knows for sure whether climate changes caused human actions will be large enough and fast enough to cause serious damage. Many scientists believe that they may be. Others argue that if changes occur, the problems they cause will be minor compared with problems caused by today's storms and droughts.

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Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)