Which of the following gases is primarily responsible for global warming:

Question

Which of the following gases is primarily responsible for global warming:

1. A. Nitrogen
2. B. Noble gases
3. C. Sulphates
4. D. Carbon dioxide (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — Carbon dioxide

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Carbon dioxide.

Key Points

• Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the greenhouse gas primarily responsible for global warming, chiefly because of the sheer quantity released by burning fossil fuels.
• Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the atmosphere but is not a greenhouse gas, and noble gases are inert.

Additional Information

• Other greenhouse gases: methane (CH₄), far more potent per molecule than CO₂ but present in much smaller amounts, along with nitrous oxide, CFCs and water vapour.
• Do not confuse global warming with ozone depletion — the latter is caused by CFCs and is a separate problem addressed by the Montreal Protocol.
• Key climate agreements: the UNFCCC (1992), the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015), which targets holding warming well below 2°C.