What property of HCFCs makes them environmentally superior to CFCs as refrigerants?

HCFCs, or hydrochlorofluorocarbons, are considered environmentally superior to CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons, primarily due to their lower potential for ozone depletion and lower global warming potential. The option regarding greater reactivity leading to decomposition of HCFCs is not the correct reasoning for their environmental advantages. In fact, while HCFCs are less stable than CFCs and may decompose more readily in the atmosphere, this increased reactivity, rather than being a primary factor for their environmental benefit, could lead to more complex atmospherical interactions.

The correct property that underscores HCFCs' environmental superiority is their lower global warming potential compared to CFCs. This means that HCFCs contribute less to the greenhouse effect than CFCs when released into the atmosphere. Though HCFCs still pose environmental risks, particularly to the ozone layer, they represent a step towards more sustainable refrigerant options because they have a shorter atmospheric lifetime than CFCs, making them less harmful to the ozone layer and contributing to climate change to a lesser extent.

Therefore, the lower global warming potential of HCFCs makes them a preferable alternative to CFCs in refrigeration applications, leading to their use as transitional substitutes during