When it comes to industrial compounds that contribute to global warming, not all molecules are created equal.
Some molecules trap significantly more infrared heat in the Earth's atmosphere than others. Furthermore, these compounds keep heat locked up for a longer periods of time than chemicals that could accomplish the same industrial tasks with less impact on global warming, say scientists who ranked hundreds of compounds for their ability to retain or reflect heat.
Scientists at NASA and Purdue University looked at infrared wavelengths that typically are clear sailing for sunlight reaching Earth to be reflected back into space. The team found that compounds containing fluorine atoms lock in more heat than those laced with chlorine or hydrogen. More >>>
