Final answer:
Good absorbers of infrared waves include greenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone, which contribute to the Earth's greenhouse effect by trapping heat within the atmosphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gases that are good absorbers of infrared waves are known as greenhouse gases (GHGs). These include water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and ozone (O₃). These gases have the ability to absorb and re-radiate infrared radiation, which contributes to the greenhouse effect. The effect of GHGs is likened to a thermal blanket around the Earth, trapping heat and effectively warming the planet's surface. For example, water molecules are highly efficient at vibrating and rotating at infrared frequencies, which makes them absorb and emit infrared radiation effectively, with an emissivity for skin being e = 0.97 in the infrared spectrum. This property also enables the use of night-vision devices that detect infrared radiation emitted from warm objects and convert it into visible light.