How does carbon affect climate change?
1 Answer
Carbon doesn't have much effect on climate change, but some carbon compounds have a large effect by causing global warming.
The main cause of global warming is the "greenhouse effect" — warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:
-
Carbon dioxide
The atmospheric concentration of CO₂ has increased from 280 parts per million to 379 parts per million in the last 150 years. This is the most important long-lived "forcing" of climate change. -
Methane
Methane is 300 times more active as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but it is also much less abundant in the atmosphere. -
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Chlorofluorocarbons are synthetic compounds containing C, H, and F. -
Carbon tetrachloride
Carbon tetrachloride is a former dry cleaning and fire extinguishing fluid. It is a lesser known but still important greenhouse gas.
