Which one of the following greenhouse gases is in largest concentration in the atmosphere?
Chlorofluorocarbon
Nitrous oxide
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2018
– Common greenhouse gases include water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
– While water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas overall, its concentration is highly variable and often considered separately when discussing anthropogenic emissions.
– Among the options listed (excluding water vapor), carbon dioxide (CO₂) has by far the highest concentration in the Earth’s atmosphere. Its concentration is currently over 400 parts per million (ppm).
– Methane (CH₄) concentration is around 1.9 ppm, Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is around 0.34 ppm, and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are present in much lower concentrations (parts per billion or trillion).
– The concentrations of these gases are monitored globally by various scientific bodies.