Question

Which set of the following gases is most important for greenhouse effect?
1. Carbon dioxide, Methane, Chlorine, Nitric oxide.
2. Nitric oxide, Methane, Ethane, Chlorfluoro carbons.
3. Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Water vapour.
4. Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur dioxide, Methane, Water vapour

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Water vapour.

The correct answer is Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Water vapour.

• The greenhouse effect is the natural warming of the earth that results when gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun that would otherwise escape into space.
• Multiple gases contribute to the greenhouse effect that sets Earth’s temperature over geologic time.
• The main gases responsible for the greenhouse effect include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapour (which all occur naturally), and fluorinated gases (which are synthetic).
• Gases with high GWPs will warm the Earth more than an equal amount of CO2 over the same time period.
• The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth. This process maintains the Earth’s temperature at around 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would otherwise be, allowing life on Earth to exist.
• The problem we also face is that human activities – particularly burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), agriculture and land clearing – are increasing the concentrations of greenhouse gases.
• This is the enhanced greenhouse effect, which is contributing to the warming of the Earth.