What process is associated with the release of carbon back into the atmosphere?

The process associated with the release of carbon back into the atmosphere is burning fossil fuels. When fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are burned for energy, they undergo combustion reactions that release carbon dioxide (CO2) as a byproduct. This process significantly contributes to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which is a major factor in climate change.

While photosynthesis, for instance, absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores carbon in biomass, it does not release carbon back into the atmosphere. The absorption by oceans refers to the process where oceans take in atmospheric CO2, again not a release. Soil erosion can cause some carbon to be released but is not a primary process for carbon release compared to the burning of fossil fuels. Thus, burning fossil fuels stands as the clear primary contributor to carbon emissions in this context.