Question

Which one is more effective greenhouse gas, \[{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}}}\] or \[{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{O}}\] ? If the answer is \[{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{O}}\] then enter 1, else enter 0.

Answer 1

Hint: Consider the relative amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide gas present in the atmosphere. Thus, gas having a greater amount is likely to have more greenhouse effect.

Complete answer:
The amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere is much more than the amount of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere. In extremely cold and dry air, about a trace amount of water is present. In extremely warm and humid air, the amount of water vapor is about 4%. Thus, the amount of water vapour in the air varies with temperature and humidity levels.
The average amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere at various locations is around 2-3%. However, the amount of carbon dioxide is only 0.04% . Thus, on an average, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is around more than 60 times the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Examples of greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Greenhouse gases trap the radiation that would have otherwise escaped from the earth atmosphere. This increases the earth’s temperature and causes global warming.
If equal amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor are present, water vapour has Lower efficiency as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide gas. But the amount of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere is much smaller than the amount of water vapour present in the atmosphere. Thus, compared to carbon dioxide gas, a large excess of water vapour is present.
In current periods, weather forecasting, news channels give greater emphasis to the greenhouse effect from water vapor than that from carbon dioxide. Due to the atmospheric greenhouse effect from clouds and water vapor, the cloudy nights are warmer than clear nights.
Hence, water vapour is a more effective greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Hence, enter 1 as the answer.

Note: Greenhouse effect is a natural process. It has happened on earth for millions of years. If the greenhouse effect was not there, then the temperature at earth would have been around \[ - {17^o}{\text{C}}\]. At this temperature, the sustenance of life is not possible.