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Q90
(NDA-I/2023)
Environment & Ecology › Climate Change & Global Initiatives
Official Key
Which one of the following is not a main greenhouse gas?
Explanation
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are atmospheric gases that trap heat by absorbing and emitting infrared radiation. The primary GHGs responsible for the greenhouse effect include Water vapour (H2O), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), and Ozone (O3).
- Water vapour: The most abundant greenhouse gas, acting as a feedback loop to warming.
- Carbon dioxide: A primary GHG emitted through human activities like fossil fuel combustion and deforestation.
- Methane: A potent GHG emitted from agricultural activities, waste management, and energy production.
Oxygen (B), which constitutes about 21% of Earth's atmosphere, is not a greenhouse gas. Because oxygen (O2) is a homonuclear diatomic molecule, it does not possess a dipole moment when its bonds vibrate, meaning it cannot absorb infrared radiation. Therefore, it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
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