UPSC Prelims 2012·GS1·geography·climatology

The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absorbs

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. Athe water vapour of the air and retains its heat
  2. Bthe ultraviolet part of the solar radiation
  3. Call the solar radiations
  4. Dthe infrared part of the solar radiationCorrect

Explanation

The correct option is D because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that allows shortwave solar radiation from the sun to pass through the atmosphere and reach the Earth. However, once the Earth surface heats up, it emits energy back toward space in the form of longwave infrared radiation. Carbon dioxide molecules absorb this outgoing infrared radiation and re emit it in all directions, trapping heat within the atmosphere and causing the greenhouse effect. It does not significantly absorb ultraviolet rays or all solar radiations.
geography: The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absor

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