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Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat as it tries to leave earth, causing global warming. Which of the following are greenhouse gases?

1) Carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels
2) The removal of trees to clear land
3) Respiration
4) All of the above

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is a greenhouse gas, while deforestation indirectly affects greenhouse gas levels; respiration is a natural process that contributes less significantly.

Step-by-step explanation:

Greenhouse gases are significant drivers of climate change due to their ability to trap heat in the earth's atmosphere, leading to global warming. When energy from the sun hits the Earth, some of it gets trapped by these gases, in the same way, the glass of a greenhouse does. Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone are some of these greenhouse gases. The human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have led to a significant increase in these gases since the Industrial Revolution, exacerbating the natural greenhouse effect.

To answer the question, 'Which of the following are greenhouse gases?' - 1) Carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels is indeed a greenhouse gas. 2) The removal of trees to clear land results in fewer trees available to absorb carbon dioxide, indirectly affecting greenhouse gas concentrations. 3) Respiration itself is a natural process that does produce carbon dioxide, but it is usually balanced by photosynthesis in plants and is not a primary contributor to the rise in greenhouse gases due to human activity. Therefore, the most correct answer to the question would be 1) Carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, although it is important to understand the context in which other factors can also influence greenhouse gas concentrations.

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