Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
How would you respond to this reasoning? Oxygen is not a greenhouse gas; therefore, gases containing oxygen—such as ozone, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide—are not greenhouse gases either.
A
True. It is impossible for a gas containing oxygen to be a greenhouse gas.
B
True. Because oxygen is not a greenhouse gas, it is unlikely to combine with anything at a higher level of organization to form a greenhouse gas.
C
True. Compounds display emergent properties that are very similar to those of the elements that form them.
D
False. Compounds can have emergent properties that are very different from those of the elements that form them.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of greenhouse gases: Greenhouse gases are those that can absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and ozone (O₃).
Recognize the role of oxygen in compounds: While molecular oxygen (O₂) itself is not a greenhouse gas, it can form compounds with other elements that exhibit greenhouse properties. For example, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and ozone (O₃) are both greenhouse gases despite containing oxygen.
Explore the concept of emergent properties: Emergent properties are characteristics that arise from the combination of elements in a compound, which can be different from the properties of the individual elements. This means that compounds can have properties that are not present in their constituent elements.
Evaluate the reasoning: The statement that gases containing oxygen cannot be greenhouse gases is incorrect because it overlooks the emergent properties of compounds. Compounds like CO₂ and O₃ have greenhouse properties that are not present in elemental oxygen.
Conclude with the correct understanding: The correct answer is false. Compounds can have emergent properties that are very different from those of the elements that form them, allowing gases containing oxygen to be greenhouse gases.