Question
Why are molecules like oxygen gas, O2, and nitrogen gas, N2, not greenhouse gases?
A. The molecules are made up of three atoms.
B. Oxygen and nitrogen are tightly bound and cannot vibrate in a way to absorb energy.
C. Oxygen and nitrogen have asymmetric vibration when struck by infrared radiation.
D. Infrared radiation is absorbed and re-emitted by these molecules.
A. The molecules are made up of three atoms.
B. Oxygen and nitrogen are tightly bound and cannot vibrate in a way to absorb energy.
C. Oxygen and nitrogen have asymmetric vibration when struck by infrared radiation.
D. Infrared radiation is absorbed and re-emitted by these molecules.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is:
**B. Oxygen and nitrogen are tightly bound and cannot vibrate in a way to absorb energy.**
Greenhouse gases are characterized by their ability to absorb and emit infrared radiation, which is essential for the greenhouse effect. Molecules like O2 and N2 are homonuclear diatomic molecules, meaning they consist of two identical atoms. They do not have a permanent dipole moment and do not have the necessary vibrational modes to absorb infrared radiation effectively. This lack of vibrational modes means they cannot contribute to the greenhouse effect in the same way as gases such as CO2, CH4, or H2O, which can absorb infrared radiation due to their molecular structure and vibrational characteristics.
**B. Oxygen and nitrogen are tightly bound and cannot vibrate in a way to absorb energy.**
Greenhouse gases are characterized by their ability to absorb and emit infrared radiation, which is essential for the greenhouse effect. Molecules like O2 and N2 are homonuclear diatomic molecules, meaning they consist of two identical atoms. They do not have a permanent dipole moment and do not have the necessary vibrational modes to absorb infrared radiation effectively. This lack of vibrational modes means they cannot contribute to the greenhouse effect in the same way as gases such as CO2, CH4, or H2O, which can absorb infrared radiation due to their molecular structure and vibrational characteristics.