Question

Which of the following accounts for recent unprecidented changes in mean temperature?

a.) sun spots
b.) volcanic eruptions
c.) human contributations to greenhouse gas emissions
d.) movement of tectonic plates

Answer 1

Unprecedented changes in mean global temperatures are primarily due to human contributions to greenhouse gas emissions, which intensify the greenhouse effect and lead to global warming.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recent unprecedented changes in mean temperature are largely attributed to human contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. While natural factors such as sun spots, volcanic eruptions, and movement of tectonic plates do influence the Earth's climate, they cannot account for the rapid increase in temperature observed since the Industrial Revolution. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect, which is known to raise air temperatures by absorbing infrared radiation. This is the primary reason for the current trends in global warming, as validated by the scientific consensus.