Question

Why are molecules like oxygen gas, O2, and nitrogen gas, N2, not greenhouse gases?

A. Oxygen and nitrogen are tightly bound and cannot vibrate in a way to absorb energy.
B. The molecules are made up of three atoms.
C. Oxygen and nitrogen have asymmetric vibration when struck by infrared radiation.
D. Infrared radiation is absorbed and remitted by these molecules.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

**A. Oxygen and nitrogen are tightly bound and cannot vibrate in a way to absorb energy.**

Oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) are diatomic molecules that do not have the necessary vibrational modes to absorb infrared radiation, which is a hallmark of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, like CO2 and CH4, can undergo various vibrations that allow them to absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, whereas O2 and N2 do not exhibit such behavior effectively due to their symmetrical molecular structure and vibrational limitations.