How would you respond to this reasoning? Oxygen is not a greenhouse gas; therefore, gases containing oxygen—such as ozone, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide—are not greenhouse gases either.

True. It is impossible for a gas containing oxygen to be a greenhouse gas.

True. Because oxygen is not a greenhouse gas, it is unlikely to combine with anything at a higher level of organization to form a greenhouse gas.

True. Compounds display emergent properties that are very similar to those of the elements that form them.

False. Compounds can have emergent properties that are very different from those of the elements that form them.

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the concept of greenhouse gases: Greenhouse gases are those that can absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and ozone (O₃).

Recognize the role of oxygen in compounds: While molecular oxygen (O₂) itself is not a greenhouse gas, it can form compounds with other elements that exhibit greenhouse properties. For example, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and ozone (O₃) are both greenhouse gases despite containing oxygen.

Explore the concept of emergent properties: Emergent properties are characteristics that arise from the combination of elements in a compound, which can be different from the properties of the individual elements. This means that compounds can have properties that are not present in their constituent elements.

Evaluate the reasoning: The statement that gases containing oxygen cannot be greenhouse gases is incorrect because it overlooks the emergent properties of compounds. Compounds like CO₂ and O₃ have greenhouse properties that are not present in elemental oxygen.

Conclude with the correct understanding: The correct answer is false. Compounds can have emergent properties that are very different from those of the elements that form them, allowing gases containing oxygen to be greenhouse gases.