Why is CO2 a bigger concern for global climate change?

  • Thread starter snoopenes
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In summary, the conversation discusses the concern over CO2 emissions and its role as a greenhouse gas compared to water vapor. The graph provided shows the relationship between CO2 emissions and global climate change. The conversation also mentions two possible reasons for why CO2 emissions are of higher concern: changes in incoming solar radiation and the fraction of solar radiation that is reflected. The conversation ends with a hint about which component in the atmosphere absorbs the most radiation from the sun and the Earth.
  • #1
snoopenes
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http://imageshack.us/m/155/6668/graphdm.jpg

Both carbon dioxide (CO2) and water-vapor (H2O) represent greenhouse gases. Recall that while the society is concerned about CO2 emissions, no-one worries about the amount of water-vapor released after cooking a meal. Looking at the graph given below, provide two reasons for why emissions of CO2 represent a higher concern for global climate change.
 
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  • #2


What do you think?
 
  • #3
Boy, that sure looks a lot like a homework question. Have you read the guidelines for getting help for homework? Why don't you start be telling us what *you* think the answer is, and explain in detail what you find confusing. Then perhaps we will be better able to help you.
 
  • #4
my answer for this question is

-Change in the incoming solar radiation.(By changes in the Earth’s orbit or the sun itself)
-Change in the fraction for solar radiation that is reflected.
 
  • #5
which component in the atmosphere absorbs the most radiation emitted by the sun and which component absorbs the most radiation emitted by the earth.

(hint: this has to do with which frequencies the Earth and sun emit with greatest intensity)
 

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