Which of the following is a factor considered when evaluating GWP?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a factor considered when evaluating GWP?

Global warming potential measures how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide over a defined time horizon. It combines two factors: how effectively the gas absorbs infrared radiation (radiative efficiency) and how long it stays in the atmosphere (lifetime). The option describing heat trapping relative to CO2 over a defined time horizon is exactly what GWP quantifies, because it directly expresses the gas’s warming influence over that period. Toxicity, ozone depletion, and upper-atmosphere chemical reactivity are separate environmental concerns and are not part of the GWP calculation, which is why they don’t define GWP.

Global warming potential measures how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide over a defined time horizon. It combines two factors: how effectively the gas absorbs infrared radiation (radiative efficiency) and how long it stays in the atmosphere (lifetime). The option describing heat trapping relative to CO2 over a defined time horizon is exactly what GWP quantifies, because it directly expresses the gas’s warming influence over that period.

Toxicity, ozone depletion, and upper-atmosphere chemical reactivity are separate environmental concerns and are not part of the GWP calculation, which is why they don’t define GWP.

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