Ozone layer definition

Recent Examples on the Web Researchers have also considered releasing aerosols into the atmosphere to aid cloud formation, but doing so could have unintended consequences, including impacting rainfall patterns and damaging the ozone layer. — Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2023 And production of these fertilizers can create greenhouses and hurt the Earth’s ozone layer. — Sean Mcdonnell, cleveland, 10 Aug. 2022 In 1995, they and Dr. Paul Crutzen, of the Max Planck Institute in Germany, were given the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their work in alerting the world to the thinning ozone layer. — Keith Schneider, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022 Even less is understood about the potential risks to people and the environment—could the particles deplete the ozone layer, for example, or significantly alter the weather? — IEEE Spectrum, 19 Dec. 2021 What, then, of the ozone layer? — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 17 June 2021 But sulfate aerosols—the combination of particles and water—can destroy the planet-protecting ozone layer. — IEEE Spectrum, 19 Dec. 2021 How to close the hole in the ozone layer. — Elizabeth Loga, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2021 But, Chemours is exempt from that prohibition because the HCFC-22 produced in Louisville is used as a feedstock to make other products that do not damage the Earth’s protective ozone layer. — Phil Mckenna, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2021 See More These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustr...

Ozone is a pale blue gas composed of three oxygen atoms bonded together. It occurs naturally high up in the Earth's atmosphere, where it protects the surface from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays unless dissipated by natural or human phenomena. It is also considered a pollutant with adverse effects for humans and other creatures when present closer to the ground. Oxygen vs. ozone Molecular oxygen (O2) is the normal oxygen we breathe and is present throughout the atmosphere. It can be split apart by the sun's rays into two single oxygen atoms and one of these can then recombine with an O2 molecule to form O3, ozone, according to NASA. The gas has a distinctive and sharp odor reminiscent of chlorine, and can sometimes be smelled after a thunderstorm, when lightning zaps oxygen molecules apart. This property is what gives ozone its name, after the Greek word ozein, meaning "to smell," according to an article published by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Related: Trees: Unlikely culprits in ozone pollution The vast majority of ozone sits in the stratosphere, an atmospheric layer between six and 31 miles (10 to 50 kilometers) above our planet's surface. Ozone makes up roughly 0.00006% of the atmosphere and peak concentrations of it are present at 20 miles (32 km) above the surface, in an area known as the ozone layer, according to NASA. Earth's delicate ozone layer Ozone is a relatively unstable substance and can be destroyed by molecules containing nitrogen, hydrogen, chlori...

The ozone layer is one layer of the stratosphere, the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere. The stratosphere is the mass of protective gases clinging to our planet. The stratosphere gets its name because it is stratified, or layered: as elevation increases, the stratosphere gets warmer. The stratosphere increases in warmth with elevation because ozone gases in the upper layers absorb intense ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Ozone is only a trace gas in the atmosphere—only about three molecules for every 10 million molecules of air. But it does a very important job. Like a sponge, the ozone layer absorbs bits of radiation hitting Earth from the sun. Even though we need some of the sun's radiation to live, too much of it can damage living things. The ozone layer acts as a shield for life on Earth. Ozone is good at trapping a type of radiation called ultraviolet radiation, or UV light, which can penetrate organisms’ protective layers, like skin. This then may damage DNA molecules in plants and animals. There are two major types of UV light: UVB and UVA. UVB is the cause of skin conditions like sunburns, and cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. People used to think that UVA light, the radiation used in tanning beds, is harmless because it doesn’t cause burns. However, scientists now know that UVA light is even more harmful than UVB, penetrating more deeply and causing a deadly skin cancer, melanoma, and premature aging. The ozone layer, Earth’s sunsc...

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What is an Ozone Layer? The ozone layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the earth’s atmosphere. It has the potential to absorb around 97-99% of the harmful ultraviolet radiations coming from the sun that can damage life on earth. If the ozone layer was absent, millions of people would develop skin diseases and may have weakened immune systems. However, scientists have discovered a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. This has focussed their concern on various environmental issues and steps to control them. The main reasons for the ozone hole are chlorofluorocarbons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl bromide and hydrochlorofluorocarbons. Let us have a detailed look at the various causes and effects of ozone layer depletion. What is Ozone Layer Depletion? Ozone layer depletion is the thinning of the ozone layer present in the upper atmosphere. This happens when the chlorine and bromine atoms in the atmosphere come in contact with ozone and destroy the ozone molecules. One chlorine can destroy 100,000 molecules of ozone. It is destroyed more quickly than it is created. Some compounds release chlorine and bromine on exposure to high ultraviolet light, which then contributes to ozone layer depletion. Such compounds are known as Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The ozone-depleting substances that contain chlorine include chlorofluorocarbon, carbon tetrachloride, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and methyl chloroform. Whereas, the ozone-depleting substances that contain bromine ...