Which Correctly Lists Three Greenhouse Gases?

Which Correctly Lists Three Greenhouse Gases?

(A) Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane

(B) Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and helium

(C) Helium, methane, and oxygen

(D) Methane, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

Answer: (A) Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane

These three gases are well-known contributors to the Greenhouse gas which causes the warm-up of the atmosphere of the earth. Unlike other atmospheric gases including oxygen and nitrogen, the greenhouse gases have a character of holding heat in the gaseous layer of the atmosphere thus giving them their special nickname, greenhouse gases in ascertaining the green housing effect. One of the most widespread and known kinds of greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is formed by burning of the fossil fuels and deforestation. It can stay in the atmosphere for centuries thus contributing to climate change for centuries. Methane (CH4), although has a shorter lifetime as compared to CO2, is a much more effective heat-trapping gas. It is emitted from activities including livestock farming, rice cultivation, and the movement of fossil fuels and their extraction. Another gas, nitrous oxide (N2O) – is less abundant, however, it is a rather potent GHG with a long lifetime in the atmosphere. It is mainly generated by farming operations and operations of industries. These gases combine to cause a ‘greenhouse’ effect on top of the layer of the atmosphere whereby heat from the sun will be locked from escaping back to space. Human activities have led to the build-up of these gases in the atmosphere; they trap heat leading to an increase in the average temperature of the planet. This process is the chief cause of anthropogenic climate change and underlines the significance of studying and reducing the discharges of the mentioned gases.