What gas would be the most effective as a greenhouse gas?

Question

if there was the same amount in the atmosphere, which gas would make it hotter?

Answer 1

There are lots of greenhouse gases.. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, some CFCs, carbon monoxide and non-methane hydrocarbons. I would say carbon dioxide and methane are the most effective, especially as they have the largest atmospheric concentration, but some of the CFCs that are only present in small amounts in the atmosphere could have a much worse effect if emissions of them were increased.

Answer 2

In terms of potency it's methane, but the amount of methane in the atmosphere is too low to make any difference.  CO2 has little effect because it is also a very small component of the atmosphere.  Virtually all of the greenhouse effect is produced by water vapour.

Answer 3

Water vapor is the most prevalent greenhouse gas (95%), but methane is the most reactive (1 molecule of methane is 30 times more reactive than 1 molecule of carbon dioxide).

Answer 4

obviously carbon dioxide that is most abundant in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming.

Answer 5

i guess carbon-dioxide mostly, and even methane

Answer 6

see table 6.7

http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1...

over 100 years, CFC-12