Hailey is categorizing the most important greenhouse gases based on their predominance. Which gases should be prioritized in her ranking? She has classified the most important and the next most important greenhouse gas.

Biology · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021

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In prioritizing the most important greenhouse gases based on their predominance in contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming, Hailey should consider:

1.Most Important Greenhouse Gas:

  • Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas that should be classified as the most important. It is the most prevalent and persistent greenhouse gas emitted by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for a long time and is a major driver of global warming.

2.Next Most Important Greenhouse Gas:

  • Methane (CH4) is considered the next most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Although methane is less abundant in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide, it has a much higher heat-trapping ability per molecule.
  • Methane is released from various sources, including agricultural activities (such as livestock digestion and rice paddies), landfills, and natural gas production.

Therefore, the prioritization for Hailey's ranking of the most important greenhouse gases would be:

  1. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
  2. Methane (CH4)