Which of the following gases is known to contribute to global warming as a member of the nitrogen oxides family?

Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to global warming. As a member of the nitrogen oxides family, it is produced through agricultural activities, industrial processes, and the burning of fossil fuels. Nitrous oxide has a much greater heat-trapping ability compared to carbon dioxide, being over 300 times more effective at warming the planet over a century. This makes it a critical gas in discussions about climate change and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In contrast, carbon dioxide is primarily associated with the combustion of fossil fuels and is the most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas, but it does not belong to the nitrogen oxides family. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are also potent greenhouse gases, primarily involved in ozone depletion rather than being classified as nitrogen oxides. Ozone in the troposphere can act as a greenhouse gas, but like carbon dioxide and CFCs, it does not belong to the nitrogen oxides family. This specificity in classification underlines why nitrous oxide is correctly identified as the gas contributing to global warming within the nitrogen oxides context.