Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change part 1

Total Questions: 50

21. The concept of Greenhouse Gases was postulated by - [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011]

Correct Answer: (c) Joseph Fourier
Solution:The concept of Greenhouse Gases/effect was postulated by Joseph Fourier in 1820s. Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that trap heat from the Earth's surface, contributing to the greenhouse effect. This phenomenon is leading to significant global warming and climate change.

Solar insolation (short wave radiation) reaches the Earth and is transparent to the Earth's atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is absorbed by the earth's surface, which increases its temperature. The earth's surface radiates back the rest of the heat to the atmosphere (Long-Wave Radiation). Some of the heat is trapped by greenhouse gases such as Carbon dioxide, Methane, Ozone, Nitrous Oxide, Chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFCs), and Water Vapor in the atmosphere. Thus, they add to the heating, which is known as the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere. This causes global warming. However, life on Earth could not exist without some naturally occurring greenhouse gases. Without them, no heat would be trapped in the atmosphere, leading to extreme cold or permafrost conditions.

The greenhouse effect is primarily caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and water vapor. These gases trap heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping back into space, leading to a warming greenhouse effect. Human activities like burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), deforestation, and industrial processes significantly increase the concentration of these gases causing greenhouse effect. Natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions and solar radiation, also contribute, but human actions are the dominant drivers of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

22. Greenhouse effect is enhanced in the envirnoments due to? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

Correct Answer: (b) Carbon dioxide
Solution:Greenhouse effect is the result of the absorption of infrared radiation by environmental gases are Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide And Clorofluoro Carbon. Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that trap heat from the Earth's surface, contributing to the greenhouse effect. This phenomenon is leading to significant global warming and climate change.

Solar insolation (short wave radiation) reaches the Earth and is transparent to the Earth's atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is absorbed by the earth's surface, which increases its temperature. The earth's surface radiates back the rest of the heat to the atmosphere (Long-Wave Radiation). Some of the heat is trapped by greenhouse gases such as Carbon dioxide, Methane, Ozone, Nitrous Oxide, Chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFCs), and Water Vapor in the atmosphere. Thus, they add to the heating, which is known as the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere. This causes global warming. However, life on Earth could not exist without some naturally occurring greenhouse gases. Without them, no heat would be trapped in the atmosphere, leading to extreme cold or permafrost conditions.

The greenhouse effect is primarily caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and water vapor. These gases trap heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping back into space, leading to a warming greenhouse effect. Human activities like burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), deforestation, and industrial processes significantly increase the concentration of these gases causing greenhouse effect. Natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions and solar radiation, also contribute, but human actions are the dominant drivers of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

23. Which of the following group of gases contribute to the "Greenhouse Effect"? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (d) Carbon dioxide and Methane
Solution:The relative contribution of main Greenhouse Gases are as follows -
GasPercentage
Carbon Dioxideabout 64%
Methane aboutabout 19%
Nitrous Oxideabout 6%
Chlorofluorocarbons and othersabout 11%

Thus, option (d) will be correct answer.

24. Which of the following gas has highest contribution in global warming? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

Correct Answer: (a) Carbon-dioxide
Solution:The relative contribution of main Greenhouse Gases are as follows -
GasPercentage
Carbon Dioxideabout 64%
Methane aboutabout 19%
Nitrous Oxideabout 6%
Chlorofluorocarbons and othersabout 11%

Thus, option (d) will be correct answer.

25. What will be the decreasing order of the following which contribute to the 'Greenhouse effect'? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]

Correct Answer: (a) CO₂>CH₄>CFCs>N₂O
Solution:The relative contribution of main Greenhouse Gases are as follows -
GasPercentage
Carbon Dioxideabout 64%
Methane aboutabout 19%
Nitrous Oxideabout 6%
Chlorofluorocarbons and othersabout 11%

Thus, option (d) will be correct answer.

26. Which one of the following naturally occurring greenhouse gases causes the highest percentage of the greenhouse effect? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011]

Correct Answer: (d) Water Vapour
Solution:According to the American space Agency, NASA. Water vapour is Earth's most abundant green house gas. It is responsible for about half of Earth's greenhouse effect the process that occures when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the sun's heat.

Water vapor accounts for the largest percentage of the greenhouse effect, between 36% and 66% for clear sky conditions and between 66% and 85% when including clouds. Water vapor absorbs electromagnetic radiation in various bands in the infra-red region.

A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are

Water vapor (H₂O)
Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
Methane (CH₄)
Nitrous oxide (N₂O), and ozone (O₃).

Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature mperature of Earth's surface would be about -18° C, rather than the present average of 15° C.

27. The main component of greenhouse gases is [65th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2019]

Correct Answer: (a) Carbon dioxide
Solution:The main component of Green House gases is Carbon Dioxide which is responsible approximately 64% of Green House gas. (According to WMO Green House Gas Bulletin 2023). Carbon dioxide is a meteorologically important gas as it is transparent to the incoming solar radiation but opaque to the outgoing terrestrial radiation. Carbon dioxide absorbs some of terrestrial radiation and reflects some part towards the earth's surface. Carbon dioxide is largely responsible for the greenhouse effect. Its concentration is closer to the earth's surface as it is denser than air.

28. Which one of the following is not responsible for global warming? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2016]

Correct Answer: (c) Argon
Solution:A layer of greenhouse gases namely carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide acts as a thermal blanket for the earth, absorbing heat and warming the surface known as global warming. Hence, Argon is not responsible for global warming.

Argon is the most common gas in the atmosphere besides Nitrogen and Oxygen. Argon is a noble gas (like helium) which means that it is completely inertit is odourless, colourless gas that is totally inert into other substance. Under extreme conditions, argon can form certain compounds even though it is a gas. It is characterized by same solubility level in water as that of oxygen. It has low thermal conductivity.

29. Climate change is caused by - [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (d) All the above
Solution:Greenhouse gases and Pollution are directly responsible for ozone depletion while deletion of the ozone layer is indirectly responsible for climate change. Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Due to the rising temperature caused by climate change, the ice in the polar regions is melting at an accelerated rate, causing sea levels to rise. This is damaging the coastlines due to the increased flooding and erosion. The largest driver of warming is the emission of gases that create a greenhouse effect, of which more than 90% are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane.

Temperature rise is accelerated or tempered by climate feedbacks, such as loss of sunlight-reflecting snow and ice cover, increased water vapour (a greenhouse gas itself), and changes to land and ocean carbon sinks. Even if efforts to minimise future warming are successful, some effects will continue for centuries, including rising sea levels, rising ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification.

30. The main reasone of climate change is - [Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (d) All of the above
Solution:The main reason of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases (a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation e.g. carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons) which are the main causes of the depletion of the ozone layer. This ozone layer prevents most harmful ultraviolet light (UV) from passing through the earth's atmosphere. Pollution due to human activity is also a prime reason for climate change.