Which statement best describes the use of Global Warming Potential (GWP) in evaluating refrigerants?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes the use of Global Warming Potential (GWP) in evaluating refrigerants?

Global Warming Potential is a metric that shows how much heat a given amount of a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere, compared with the same amount of CO2 over a specific time period (usually 100 years). This creates a CO2-equivalent value that lets us compare the climate impact of different refrigerants on a common scale. That’s why this statement is best: it directly describes the purpose of GWP—evaluating and comparing how much warming each refrigerant can cause relative to CO2. In practice, a refrigerant with a high GWP will contribute more to atmospheric warming per pound released than one with a lower GWP, all else equal. This is independent of how efficiently the refrigerant cycles in a system, how much it costs, or how toxic it is. So GWP specifically addresses climate impact, not energy efficiency, price, or health hazards.

Global Warming Potential is a metric that shows how much heat a given amount of a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere, compared with the same amount of CO2 over a specific time period (usually 100 years). This creates a CO2-equivalent value that lets us compare the climate impact of different refrigerants on a common scale. That’s why this statement is best: it directly describes the purpose of GWP—evaluating and comparing how much warming each refrigerant can cause relative to CO2.

In practice, a refrigerant with a high GWP will contribute more to atmospheric warming per pound released than one with a lower GWP, all else equal. This is independent of how efficiently the refrigerant cycles in a system, how much it costs, or how toxic it is. So GWP specifically addresses climate impact, not energy efficiency, price, or health hazards.

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