1. Why the hole in the atmospheric ozone layer above us?
2. What has been done about this?
3. Why should we worry about Ozone Layer Depletion?

Good life at the beach threatened?

What is Ozone? Ozone Layer?

• Ozone (O₃) is a highly-reactive from of oxygen.
• Unlike oxygen (O₂), ozone has a strong scent and is blue in color.
• Ozone exists within both the tropospheric and stratospheric zones of the Earth's atmosphere
• In the troposphere , ground level ozone is a major air pollutant and primary constituent of photochemical smog
• In the stratosphere, the ozone layer is an essential protector of life on earth as it absorbs harmful UV radiation before it reaches the earth.

CFC's and ozone depletion

Chlorofluorocarbons are created and used in refrigerators and air conditioners. These chlorofluorocarbons are not harmful to humans and have been a benefit to us. Once released into the atmosphere, chlorofluorocarbons are bombarded and destroyed by ultraviolet rays. In the process chlorine is released to destroy the ozone molecules

Destruction of ozone by chlorine

Molecular oxygen is broken down in the stratosphere by solar radiation to yield atomic oxygen, which then combines with molecular oxygen to produce ozone. The ozone is then destroyed by chlorine atoms.