What are greenhouse gases?

Questions › Category: Global Warming › What are greenhouse gases?

Vayu Raghavan asked 3 years ago

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Greenhouse gases are the main culprits responsible for climate change and global warming. Learn more about greenhouse gases here.

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Team GreenSutra

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GreenSutra

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Team GreenSutra® Staff answered 3 years ago

Any gas that has the ability to absorb and emit radiant energy within the thermal infrared range can be referred to as a Greenhouse Gas.

In simpler terms, a greenhouse gas can be referred to as a gas present in the earth’s atmosphere that traps the heat that the sunlight brings.

Greenhouse gases are abbreviated as GHG.

Some of the major greenhouse gases are:

Greenhouse Gas	Chemical Formula	Global Warming Potential	Atmospheric Lifetime (years)
Carbon Dioxide	CO₂	1	100
Methane	CH₄	25	12
Nitrous Oxide	N₂O	298	114
Chlorofluorocarbon - 12	CCl₂F₂	10,900	100
Hydrofluorocarbon-23	CHF₃	14,800	270
Sulphur Hexafluoride	SF₆	22,800	3,200
Nitrogen Trifluoride	NF₃	17,200	740