MasteryExams
General Science • ChemistryMedium

What is the primary gas responsible for global warming and the greenhouse effect resulting from human industrial activities?

A. Oxygen
B. Carbon dioxide✓ Correct Answer
C. Nitrogen
D. Argon

💡 Solution & Explanation

Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation emitted by the Earth surface and traps heat within the atmosphere, acting as the primary greenhouse gas driving anthropogenic global warming. While water vapor is also a major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion are the principal driver of climate change. Nitrogen and argon are major atmospheric constituents that do not absorb infrared radiation.

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