Greenhouse Gases: Nitrous Oxide

     

       Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas that is released primarily by plowing farm soils and burning fossil fuels. Nitrous oxide traps about 300 times more heat than does the same amount of carbon dioxide. The concentration of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere has increased 18 percent over preindustrial levels. Nitrous oxide contributes about a tenth as much as carbon dioxide to global warming.