oooo salty much Joko?
Alright, since you asked so pleasantly I'll throw in to add to Dochico's responses (albeit they already schooled you).
It seems clearly that you have some misunderstanding how about CO
2 absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation.
To clarify the science:
1. Collision and IR absorption - while it's true that collisions between molecules (such as CO
2, N
2 and O
2) do occur in the atmosphere, they don't "annihilate" the ability of CO
2 to absorb and re-emit radiation.
When a CO
2 molecule absorbs infrared radiation, it vibrates and can transfer that energy through collisions to other molecules. This process is part of the thermalisation of energy in the atmosphere, but it does not stop CO
2 from re-radiating IR back toward the surface and into space. This is central to the greenhouse effect. The energy absorbed by CO
2 can be re-emitted in random directions, contributing to the warming effect at the Earth's surface.
2. CO
2 absorption modes - Yes, CO
2 has three primary vibrational modes, but the bending mode (which absorbs IR at around 15 micrometers) is extremely important in the context of the Earth's troposphere, where most of the greenhouse effect takes place.
The energy absorbed by this mode is significant enough to influence the radiative balance of the planet. While the amount of energy absorbed might not seem massive in an isolated instance, the cumulative effect of billions of CO
2 molecules in the atmosphere, constantly absorbing and re-radiating energy, is what contributes to the warming we observe.
The real-world measurements of increasing temperatures, especially at night (which is a clear indicator of greenhouse gases trapping heat), are consistent with the predictions of the enhanced greenhouse effect due to human emissions of CO
2.
Dismissing this because of a perceived limitation in vibrational modes ignores the well documented empirical data that supports the role of CO
2 in climate change.
You're welcome
