Which gas is responsible for global warming?

Question

is it carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide?

Answer 1

carbon dioxide. mostly. carbon monoxide is oxidised very quickly to carbon dioxide so it can not realy build up in the atmosphere.

Answer 2

Both gases are responsible. But CO2 is less responsible. as it can be reduced by planting trees. Carbon monoxide can't be reduced.

Answer 3

Hydrogen is the primary gas and is responsible for most of earths  weather. The CO2 is the primary GHG for our planet.

Answer 4

According to the IPCC, AR4 report, July 2007, Working Group I...

“The two most abundant gases in the atmosphere, nitrogen (comprising 78% of the dry atmosphere) and oxygen (comprising 21%), exert almost no greenhouse effect. Instead, the greenhouse effect comes from molecules that are more complex and much less common. Water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas, and carbon dioxide (CO2) is the second-most important one. Methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and several other gases present in the atmosphere in small amounts also contribute to the greenhouse effect.”

http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/FAQ/wg1_faq...

Water vapour in the atmosphere has been increasing since the 1970’s

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/

NASA's JPL says "The Greenhouse Effect - It's Mostly About Water"

http://www-airs.jpl.nasa.gov/News/Featur...

Answer 5

The gas of main concern is carbon dioxide.  Carbon monoxide is too short-lived in the atmosphere to be a concern.

The order of greenhouse warming effect (greatest to smallest) of the top gases are:

1) water vapor

2) carbon dioxide

3) methane & ozone (estimates of their effect overlap)

Answer 6

Global Warming is created by several gases, Carbon Dioxide having 95 percent of the affect. Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Sulfur, and Sulfur Dioxide are some. Many molecules involving Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon, and Sulfur have affect on this. Proof: These all affect the Ozone Layer, adding Ultra-Violit Radiation which in turn heats up the Earth, melting Ice Caps and rising Sea Levels. This even affects storms. Carbon is Sulfur combines with water and makes Acid Rain, which is really hot. Carbon, Sulfur, and Hydrogen attack Ozone, and Oxygen is often known as a poison.

Answer 7

Neither, they form a tiny portion of the greenhouse layer (0.054%) and are mild greenhouse gasses. Water vapour is the main greenhouse gas responsible for warming (95%).

Though no warming of the troposphere has been observed in the last 30 years, so currently there is no global warming driven by the greenhouse layer.

Answer 8

Carbon monoxide.  Other gases are:sulpher dioxide,CFCs

Answer 9

Carbon dioxide.

Water vapour levels in our atmosphere have remained fairly constant over the last 250k years. So although it far outweights the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (in terms of its ability to retain heat ), water vapour only contributes to the greenhouse effect and not global warming as such. Carbon dioxde is an anthropogenic gas (meaning mankind can tip the scales) and so it's seen as the main driving force behind global warming.

Don't get confused between global warming and the greenhouse effect (like Michael 2 posts up). The greenhouse effect is what keeps the Earth from freezing over. Global warming is an extension of the greenhouse effect whereby increased levels of greenhouse gases result increase the amount of heat retained in the atmosphere.

Answer 10

Carbon dioxide (CO2).

As noted above, CO (Carbon monoxide) oxidises rapidly. In addition, it tends not to get into the upper atmosphere and has very little "greenhouse" qualities. SO2, CFCs, etc have very little (if anything) to do with GW.

Edit to Zoid: Don't light that match!!!! If hydrogen is the primary gas and there is loads of oxygen around then "global warming" is about to go ballistic! (Ever see that footage of the hydrogen-filled Hindenburg airship going up in flames?).

Think you may have confused H2 with N2 (nitrogen) that comprises 79% +/- of our atmosphere!

Answer 11

Carbon dioxide plays an immeasurably tiny part in global warming and carbon monoxide cannot play a part at all because a molecule needs at least three atoms to absorb heat like that. The primary greenhouse gas is water vapour in the clouds. This is easy to see in action. If you have a cloudy cold night there won't be any frost on the ground in the morning whereas if the night is cold and cloudless there probably will be frost.

Answer 12

Neither gas is responsible.

Although your teacher may disagree.

No gas or anything else other than man's imagination can be blamed for creating a myth.

Edit:

I like evans_michaels anser about Hydrogen, since it is that rather large nuclear reactor which we call the sun which is responsible for warming of the earth.

But since it is a nuclear fusion reaction I think Helium may be a bit more accurate, however this is being a bit pedantic.

Hydrogen is the fuel source turned into Helium in the reaction.

So technically without the fuel the reaction ceases.

Answer 13

Co2 is a minor green house gas if it has any effect at all. At the most it is 3rd or 4th ranked to the rest with water vapor (humidity) being the most prevalent and powerful. When humidity is low it is much more comfortable than when it is high, take a summer day and if humidity is low it can still be comfortable in the shade out of the direct sun. However if it is high then no place is comfortable unless you have a dehumidifier to remove the excess water vapor from the air. For people with a good technical education this whole AGW thing is a very obvious con game because the very people promoting it are also against any and all technical solutions that could be applied in solving the problems they present.

Answer 14

Cow Farts

Answer 15

I'd have to say Hydrogen...that's the primary gas fueling the Sun (the true cause of this warming trend).