Question

Global warming potential of SF$_6$ is

• A. 23,500
• B. 22,500
• C. 20,500
• D. 15,500

Hint:

Baseline GWP values (100-year horizon):
- Carbon dioxide (\(\text{CO}_2\)) = 1
- Methane (\(\text{CH}_4\)) = 28--36
- Nitrous oxide (\(\text{N}_2\text{O}\)) = 265--298
- Sulfur hexafluoride (\(\text{SF}_6\)) = 23,500 (the highest GWP due to its extreme stability).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a relative measure used to compare the heat-trapping capacity of different greenhouse gases in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide (\(\text{CO}_2\)), which is assigned a baseline GWP value of 1.
GWP is calculated over a specific time horizon, typically 100 years, taking into account the gas's infrared absorption efficiency and its atmospheric lifetime.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Sulfur hexafluoride (\(\text{SF}_6\)) is an extremely stable, synthetic inorganic gas primarily used as an electrical insulator in high-voltage power transmission equipment.
Due to its chemical inertness, \(\text{SF}_6\) is not easily broken down by chemical reactions in the lower atmosphere or by photodissociation, resulting in an exceptionally long atmospheric lifetime estimated at approximately 3,200 years.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), the global warming potential of \(\text{SF}_6\) over a 100-year timescale is calculated as 23,500.
This means that releasing one kilogram of \(\text{SF}_6\) into the atmosphere has the equivalent climate warming impact of releasing 23,500 kilograms of carbon dioxide over a century.
This makes sulfur hexafluoride the most potent greenhouse gas evaluated under the Kyoto Protocol.
Thus, Option (A) is the correct value.

Step 2: Final Answer:
The global warming potential of SF$_6$ is 23,500.