Question

1. greenhouse gases warm the air near earths surface by ______

allowing water vapor to escape
trapping carbon dioxide
absorbing heat emitted by earth
deflecting solar energy

Explanation:

• Option "allowing water vapor to escape": Greenhouse gases do not warm the surface by letting water vapor escape; this is incorrect.
• Option "trapping carbon dioxide": Greenhouse gases include CO₂, but warming is from trapping heat, not just trapping CO₂.
• Option "absorbing heat emitted by Earth": Greenhouse gases (like CO₂, CH₄) absorb infrared heat radiated by Earth, re - emit it (some back to surface), warming the air near the surface. This matches the greenhouse effect.
• Option "deflecting solar energy": Greenhouse gases allow solar energy (short - wave) to pass through to heat the Earth, they don't deflect solar energy for warming.

Answer:

C. absorbing heat emitted by Earth (assuming the third option is labeled C; if the original options had different labels, adjust the label but keep the text "absorbing heat emitted by Earth")