Question

What is a qualitiy of a greenhouse gas? select all that apply (1 point)
Responses

A) transparent to infrared radiation

B) composed of single atoms, not molecules

C) absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation

D) produced only by human activity

Answer 1

The qualities of a greenhouse gas among the options provided are:

C) absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation

Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, have the ability to absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, which is key to their role in the greenhouse effect.

A) transparent to infrared radiation is incorrect because greenhouse gases are not transparent to infrared; rather, they absorb it.

B) composed of single atoms, not molecules is incorrect as greenhouse gases are typically molecular compounds (e.g., CO2, CH4) and not just single atoms.

D) produced only by human activity is incorrect because greenhouse gases are produced by both natural processes and human activities.

So, the correct response is **C**.