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Seconds to months, depending on if the Sun is shining directly, the temperature, how "old" it is, and how many ozone scavengers (contaminants, such as water vapor and free chlorine or bromine atoms) are present.
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∙ 14y ago
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What layer is the ozone a part of?
You can find ozone in any layer of the atmosphere, but in the lower layers it does not last long. The so-called ozone layer is in the lower portion of the stratosphere, at a height where it takes a long time to dissociate.
How the ozone layer forms and why is it important?
The ozone layer is present in the stratosphere region of the atmosphere. It is important as it protects us from the harmful UV radiations of the sun that cause several health hazards including skin cancer!
Is smoke causing a hole in the ozone layer?
No, not smoke. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) released in the second half of last century is still damaging the ozone layer. Chlorine separates from the CFCs and attacks the ozone. Ozone is a protective layer in the upper atmosphere. It is formed, when oxygen molecules absorb short wavelength ultra violet radiations from the sun. Ozone is mostly destroyed by free radicals in the atmosphere. When compounds like CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and other halocarbons are released, they are dissociated by sunlight into chloride radicals. These radicals attack ozone, thereby decreasing its concentration. This results in a thinning of the ozone layer, and in polar regions, a hole. The holes occur at the poles, and usually in Antarctica because of the extreme cold. During the winter polar stratospheric clouds form which are able to convert gases in the atmosphere into Cl (chlorine) and ClO (chlorine monoxide). When the sun arrives at the end of winter, that is the trigger to begin. This is why the hole is largest in spring.
Where is ozone concentrated?
In refrigerated silica gel. Doesn't last very long, though.
How has the ozone layer changed over time?
It was nonexistent before there was significant oxygen in the atmosphere. After the Great Oxidation Event, we developed our ozone layer, complete with annual ozone "holes" at each pole. We have evidence of sporadic events punching holes in the ozone layer from time-to-time. Since the 1700s, the ozone layer has been getting steadily thinner. This gets us to "current events".
What layer is the ozone a part of?
You can find ozone in any layer of the atmosphere, but in the lower layers it does not last long. The so-called ozone layer is in the lower portion of the stratosphere, at a height where it takes a long time to dissociate.
How long does ground level ozone last in the atmosphere?
A few hours. The half-life of ozone is dependent on temperature and water vapor, increases of either will shorten its lifespan.
How the ozone layer forms and why is it important?
The ozone layer is present in the stratosphere region of the atmosphere. It is important as it protects us from the harmful UV radiations of the sun that cause several health hazards including skin cancer!
Will the ozone last?
The ozone can last. But only if we stop destroying it.
Is smoke causing a hole in the ozone layer?
No, not smoke. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) released in the second half of last century is still damaging the ozone layer. Chlorine separates from the CFCs and attacks the ozone. Ozone is a protective layer in the upper atmosphere. It is formed, when oxygen molecules absorb short wavelength ultra violet radiations from the sun. Ozone is mostly destroyed by free radicals in the atmosphere. When compounds like CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and other halocarbons are released, they are dissociated by sunlight into chloride radicals. These radicals attack ozone, thereby decreasing its concentration. This results in a thinning of the ozone layer, and in polar regions, a hole. The holes occur at the poles, and usually in Antarctica because of the extreme cold. During the winter polar stratospheric clouds form which are able to convert gases in the atmosphere into Cl (chlorine) and ClO (chlorine monoxide). When the sun arrives at the end of winter, that is the trigger to begin. This is why the hole is largest in spring.
What happend to the ozone layer in the last century?
In the last century the ozone layer was depleted. It is also termed as ozone hole.
What are some suggested causes to the depletion of the ozone layer?
The ozone layer was depleted from the actions of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) released into the atmosphere last century. CFCs were used in aerosols and fridges and escaped into the air where the winds gradually moved them all around the world and up to the ozone layer. There chlorine broke from the CFCs and destroyed the ozone.
How do you make an ozone hole?
An ozone hole is formed when the amount of ozone in the upper atmosphere gets depleted to dangerously low levels. Normally, Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC's, are responsible for this. In sunlight, CFC's form chlorine radicals which react with Ozone to produce Oxygen gas. If XCl is a CFC, the steps in which reactions proceed are: In sunlight in the upper atmosphere: XCl ------> X + Cl Cl is the chlorine radical, which is extremely reactive. Cl + O3 -----> O2 + ClO ClO is another radical, which is also extremely reactive. ClO + O3 -----> Cl + 2O2 As you can see, the Chlorine radical, Cl, is produced again at the last step, allowing it to repeat the steps again and again. In fact, it is estimated that each Chlorine atom can react with up to 200,000 ozone molecules, before decaying.
What is the role of the ozone layer and what causes changes to occur?
The ozone layer protects the earth from harmful UV rays from the sun. All those CFC's actually tear holes in the ozone layer, but they take 50 years to reach there. So the last CFC's in the atmosphere, sprayed in 1972, won't even start tearing apart the ozone layer till 2022!
Where is ozone concentrated?
In refrigerated silica gel. Doesn't last very long, though.
How has the ozone layer changed over time?
It was nonexistent before there was significant oxygen in the atmosphere. After the Great Oxidation Event, we developed our ozone layer, complete with annual ozone "holes" at each pole. We have evidence of sporadic events punching holes in the ozone layer from time-to-time. Since the 1700s, the ozone layer has been getting steadily thinner. This gets us to "current events".
When is the ozone layer expected to recover?
Not until long after Man is gone. Depletion could kill both Man and his food sources on the Earth's surface, which would itself reverse any forcing on Man's part towards depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is self healing. Ozone constantly decays, and more is made by the Sun's UV-C radiation. But the equilibrium level of ozone is what controls how much UV-B reaches Earth's surface. Any damage (usually thinning, which allows more UV-B to reach the Earth's surface) to the ozone layer will be repaired when the contaminants that accelerate ozone's decay are gone / reduced. To entirely destroy the ozone layer would take: * dumping large quantities of sulfur compounds or water into the atmosphere, * entirely removing any molecules that contain oxygen from the upper atmosphere, or * the Sun to stop making significant amounts of UV-C or more energetic light. The ozone layer will extinguish entirely a few hundred years after the last plant has been killed. Until there is no oxygen left in the atmosphere, some ozone will form. The Sun entirely destroys the ozone in the atmosphere and continually renews it. But the race between ozone destruction by sunlight (providing protection), and destruction by contaminants is shifting the balance to contaminants... allowing more UV-B to arrive at Earth's surface... damaging any DNA it strikes.The ozone layers will disapear if we dont save it
