Question

Name few greenhouse gases.

Answer 1

Greenhouse effect:

“Greenhouse effect is the process by which radiations from the sun are absorbed by the greenhouse gases and not reflected back into space. This insulates the surface of the earth and prevents it from freezing.”

Greenhouse gases:

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap the infrared radiation coming from the Sun and prevent it from escaping to outer space. They reradiate it back to Earth’s atmosphere. They are responsible for increasing the temperature of the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide (${\mathrm{CO}}_2$), methane (${\mathrm{CH}}_4$), nitrous oxide (${\mathrm{N}}_2\mathrm{O}$), Ozone (${\mathrm{O}}_3$), and chlorofluorocarbons ($\mathrm{CFCs}$), along with water vapour are known as greenhouse gases.

Due to human intervention, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased remarkably causing the greenhouse effect.

List of Greenhouse gases:

The energy coming from the sun is either reflected, transmitted or trapped by Earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap energy at longer wavelengths, i.e. infrared regions and increase the temperature.

Greenhouse gases, though present in a trace amount in the atmosphere, cause a considerable greenhouse effect.

Major greenhouse gases are:

• Carbon dioxide $\left({\mathrm{CO}}_2\right)$
• Water Vapour $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$
• Methane $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_4\right)$
• Ozone $\left({\mathrm{O}}_3\right)$
• Nitrous oxide $\left({\mathrm{N}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$
• Chlorofluorocarbons $\left(\mathrm{CFCs}\right)$