To understand what the greenhouse effect is, one must also know the contributing factors. This list of greenhouse gases includes some that may be common knowledge, but a few that may surprise you.

1. Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide makes the top five list of greenhouse gases, and this gas is released during the fossil fuel power plant processes, as well as from animals and humans breathing and other causes. Carbon Dioxide is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, with water vapor being the most prevalent.

2. Water Vapor
Water vapor is on the list of greenhouse gases, even though most people would not consider this as greenhouse gas. Water vapor is produced continuously by the earth, and this vapor evaporates and rises into the atmosphere. This component makes up somewhere between one third and two thirds of all the greenhouse gases present at any given time.

3. Methane Greenhouse Gas
Methane greenhouse gas may be one of the most damaging on the list of greenhouse gases. This gas is twenty times more damaging than carbon dioxide when it comes to contributing to global warming. Mining releases this gas that is trapped inside the earth, and so do some animals including cows when they have flatulence. There are other sources of this gas as well.

4. Ozone
Ozone is a gas that has a double threat. Before ozone evaporates into a greenhouse gas that has an affect on global warming it stays near ground level and causes smog, air pollution, and lung problems in humans and animals. Once evaporated, ozone goes into the atmosphere and helps trap heat near the earth.

5. Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide is not really used in a fossil fuel power plant or other fossil fuel combustion processes. Instead of this it is used in dental offices and other medical locations, as well as for other purposes. Nitrous Oxide is also called laughing gas, but what this gas does to the environment and earth is no laughing matter.

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