What is the major cause of the greenhouse effect?

a carbon dioxide in the water
b soot from coal plants in the water
c carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
d soot from coal plants in the atmosphere

c carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

The major cause of the greenhouse effect is option c - carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect occurs when certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases allow sunlight to pass through the atmosphere and reach the Earth's surface, but they absorb and re-emit the heat radiation that is produced by the Earth. This trapped heat leads to an increase in global temperatures, resulting in climate change and other environmental impacts. Soot from coal plants in the atmosphere, as mentioned in option d, can contribute to air pollution and have negative effects on human health, but it is not considered a major cause of the greenhouse effect.

The major cause of the greenhouse effect is option c: carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

To find the answer, you can start by understanding what the greenhouse effect is. The greenhouse effect is the process by which certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, called greenhouse gases, trap heat from the sun and prevent it from escaping into space. This trapping of heat leads to an increase in Earth's overall temperature.

One of the most important greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy, deforestation, and industrial processes, have significantly increased the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere over the past century. Increased CO2 and other greenhouse gases enhance the greenhouse effect, leading to rising global temperatures and climate change.

Therefore, the option that correctly identifies the major cause of the greenhouse effect is c: carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Options a, b, and d are incorrect because they do not directly contribute to the greenhouse effect as significantly as carbon dioxide does.