Black carbon can negatively affect the health of ecosystems by depositing on plants, thus increasing their temperature, dimming the sunlight that reaches forests and causing disruption by modifying rain patterns. Any change in rain patterns can have devastating and far-reaching impacts on ecosystems across the globe. In the atmosphere, black carbon affects the Earth's temperature by absorbing solar energy and releasing it as heat. Warm air flows from lower latitudes to the Arctic. When it falls out of the atmosphere onto ice or snow, black carbon warms the surface and dramatically increases the rate of melting. Depending on how much soot is in the air and where black carbon sits in the atmosphere, it has different effects. If it absorbs heat at the level where clouds are forming, they will evaporate. When it lies above lower stratocumulus clouds that block the sun, it stabilizes them and thus has a cooling effect.

In the atmosphere, black carbon affects the Earth's temperature by absorbing solar energy and releasing it as heat. Warm air flows from lower latitudes to the Arctic. Per unit of mass, black carbon has a warming impact on climate that is 460-1,500 times stronger than CO2. When suspended in the atmosphere, black carbon contributes to warming by converting incoming solar radiation to heat. It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns. Black Carbon (BC) has recently emerged as a major contributor to global climate change, possibly second only to CO2 as the main driver of change. BC particles strongly absorb sunlight and give soot its black color. Unlike greenhouse gases, black carbon is a climate forcer you can see and feel. Not only does it warm the atmosphere by absorbing sunlight it's also dark soot that's deposited onto ice and snow, speeding up the melting. Unlike greenhouse gases, black carbon is a climate forcer you can see and feel. Not only does it warm the atmosphere by absorbing sunlight it's also dark soot that's deposited onto ice and snow, speeding up the melting.

Black carbon is a global environmental problem that has negative implications for both human health and our climate. Inhalation of black carbon is associated with health problems including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even birth defects. Depending on how much soot is in the air and where black carbon sits in the atmosphere, it has different effects. If it absorbs heat at the level where clouds are forming, they will evaporate. When it lies above lower stratocumulus clouds that block the sun, it stabilizes them and thus has a cooling effect.

Black carbon is a good indicator of combustion-related air pollution, and was only recently recognized as a short-lived climate-forcer, which contributes to warming the Earth's atmosphere. Black carbon, a component of particulate matter, is especially dangerous to human health because of its tiny size. But black carbon not only has impacts on human health, it also affects visibility, harms ecosystems, reduces agricultural productivity and exacerbates global warming. Black carbon can negatively affect the health of ecosystems by depositing on plants, thus increasing their temperature, dimming the sunlight that reaches forests and causing disruption by modifying rain patterns. Any change in rain patterns can have devastating and far-reaching impacts on ecosystems across the globe. Per unit of mass, black carbon has a warming impact on climate that is 460-1,500 times stronger than CO2. When suspended in the atmosphere, black carbon contributes to warming by converting incoming solar radiation to heat. It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns. Global warming is caused primarily from putting too much carbon into the atmosphere when coal, gas, and oil are burned to generate electricity or to run our cars. These gases spread around the planet like a blanket, keeping in solar heat that would otherwise be radiated out into space.Excess carbon in the atmosphere warms the planet and helps plants on land grow more. Excess carbon in the ocean makes the water more acidic, putting marine life in danger. Depending on how much soot is in the air and where black carbon sits in the atmosphere, it has different effects. If it absorbs heat at the level where clouds are forming, they will evaporate. When it lies above lower stratocumulus clouds that block the sun, it stabilizes them and thus has a cooling effect. Black carbon stabilizes the layer of air on top of the clouds, promoting their growth. It just so happens that thick stratocumulus clouds are like shields, blocking incoming sunlight. As a result, black carbon also ends up cooling the planet. Black carbon has a dazzling number of effects on clouds