Question

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas ?

• A. Oxygen
• B. Carbon dioxide
• C. Hydrogen
• D. Helium

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Carbon dioxide

• Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) are gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat by absorbing infrared radiation, leading to the Greenhouse Effect and global warming.
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities, primarily from burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil) and deforestation.
• Methane (CH4) is significantly more effective at trapping heat than CO2 over short periods, though it persists for a shorter time in the atmosphere; it is produced during agricultural practices, waste management, and energy production.
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is largely emitted through agricultural activities such as the use of synthetic fertilizers and manure management.
• Fluorinated gases (Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons, Sulfur hexafluoride) are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases used in industrial processes, refrigeration, and electronics.
• Water Vapor acts as the most abundant greenhouse gas, though it is considered a feedback mechanism rather than a primary driver of climate change, as its concentration is largely regulated by atmospheric temperature.
• Ozone (O3), specifically ground-level ozone, acts as a secondary greenhouse gas created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight.
• The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty that committed State Parties to reduce GHG emissions, focusing on these specific gases to combat anthropogenic climate change.