Water Vapor

• Water Vapor is affected by the temperature. The hotter it gets, the more water evaporates. This causes water vapor to rise into the atmosphere. As water vapor combines with other greenhouse gasses, the atmospheric temperature rises, causing more water vapor to form. This is called a positive affect.
  
  There is always a changing amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. This is due to temperature fluctuations as well as precipitation patterns of any given area. If precipitation is being stored in clouds, there is more water vapor in the atmosphere. If precipitation is falling, there is less. Even less water vapor is in the atmosphere when there are few or no clouds holding moisture.
  
  

Carbon Dioxide

• Carbon dioxide exists, but is not plentiful, in the Earth's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide helps keep the Earth warm. Carbon dioxide is produced when humans and animals breathe out through the process of respiration. The process of burning things also produces carbon dioxide. Burning processes that contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are forest fires, burning coal from a factory or grill and burning gasoline in automobile engines. Dry ice is a small source of carbon dioxide because this type of ice is the carbon dioxide gas in its frozen state.
  
  

Methane

• Methane is made up of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Methane comes from many different sources, which include garbage dumps, cows, termites and farming rice. Methane is mainly produced when material decomposes in a moist, air-tight environment. Methane gas can be burned. This is why methane is often used in natural gas, which can be used to heat your home.
  
  

Nitrous Oxide

• Nitrous oxide is produced from both human and natural causes. Humans contribute to the production of nitrous oxide through the process of soil management, fossil fuel combustion, sewage treatment and the production of nitric acid. Nitrous oxide is produced naturally in soil and water and especially via microbial action in tropical forests. The presence or absence of nitrous oxide control devices has a significant effect on how much nitrous oxide is released into the atmosphere. One of these control devices is a catalytic converter, which is attached to the exhaust system of automobiles.