Which of the following contributes to the greenhouse effect?

The greenhouse effect is primarily driven by certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere that have the ability to trap heat. Carbon dioxide is one of these greenhouse gases, and it plays a significant role in regulating the Earth's temperature. When sunlight reaches the Earth, some of it is absorbed and warms the surface. The Earth then radiates this energy back into the atmosphere as heat. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, absorb and re-emit this heat, preventing it from escaping into space, thus contributing to the warming of the planet.

Nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, while they make up a large portion of the Earth's atmosphere, do not have the same heat-retaining properties as carbon dioxide. Nitrogen and oxygen are not effective at absorbing infrared radiation, which is the type of energy involved in the greenhouse effect. Argon similarly does not contribute to the greenhouse effect for the same reasons. Therefore, carbon dioxide is the only option listed that actively contributes to the greenhouse effect by increasing the atmospheric temperature through its ability to absorb and re-emit heat.