Greenhouse Gases
Biology: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 5.2.6
Greenhouse Gases
All of these gases contribute to the greenhouse effect by re-radiating most of the heat energy which has been reflected off the Earth’s surface back towards Earth. Human activity releases huge amounts of greenhouse gases in the form of air pollution.
Water vapour
- Water vapour is produced when water evaporates.
- Under climate change, rising temperatures cause more water to evaporate, creating a positive feedback loop where water vapour intensifies global warming, causing even more water to evaporate.
Carbon dioxide
- Released from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).
Methane
- Released from the burning of fossil fuels, and from agriculture practices like rice paddies and cattle farming.
Nitrous oxide
- Also known as 'laughing gas', used as an anaesthetic.
- Released from fertilisers in agriculture.
CFCs
- Releases from aerosols, refrigerators and air conditioners.
Test yourself on Greenhouse Gases
Which of these is a greenhouse gas?