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Ozone Layer
The ozone layer is a crucial layer in the Earth's atmosphere that absorbs and blocks out harmful ultraviolet light that can damage Earth.
3,889 Questions
The ozone layer is getting depleted because of the continues usage of CFCs. These are the chemicals which destroy ozone by reacting with and decomposing it into molecular oxygen and nascent oxygen.
How an insulator protects us from electrocution?
An insulator prevents the flow of electricity by blocking the path for the current to travel through. This helps protect us from electrocution by keeping the electrical current from reaching our bodies. Insulators are typically made of materials that do not conduct electricity, such as rubber or plastic.
What happens when the sun rays hit the atmosphere?
In the exosphere, the gases are ionized but the gases are so sparse, the light intensity is barely affected. In the thermosphere, most X-rays (and gamma rays from space) are absorbed, but the density is high enough that molecules can reform. Some small amount of ozone is created from oxygen here. In the stratosphere, gas density is high enough that by the bottom of the stratosphere, there is no significant UV-C left. The UV-C shatters any oxygen or nitrogen (even ozone) molecules it encounters... and some ozone is made. Any light that is absorbed by gases, that is not stored as more complex molecules, is released eventually as heat or stored as thermal energy.
Can the hole of the Ozone Layer be repaired?
The ozone hole can be repaired by curbing the use of CFCs. If there are no man made ozone destroying substances, the ozone layer will replenish itself.
What is an example of CFC refrigerant?
The example of CFC is R-12. It is being used as a refrigerant.
The ozone layer stops which rays from entering the atmosphare?
The ozone layer restricts the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun from coming as these high energy radiations are used up for the formation of the ozone molecules thus they are not allowed to enter there.
Does the thermocline layer lay below the surface layer or above the layer?
This is essentially correct, the correct use of Thermocline is often misunderstood. the temperature of the water is nearly always cooler than the outside air, the temperature declines- thermo-heat- pluc Decline- hence thermocline, with increasing depth but the external pressure goes up, an important problem for submarine designers, divers, and the like. almost always the water temperature is lower than the surrounding air, as shore-types well know.
What are the main causes for ozone depletion?
the depletion of the ozone layer is mainly caused by gasses called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)
CFC are used in some refrigerator's, aerosol's conditioner's, styrofoam container's and fire extinguisher's.
Where are all of the ozone holes located?
There are many holes in the ozone layer, the largest is above the south pole.
What instrument is UV RAYS used?
UV rays are not produced by any musical instrument. UV rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun and can cause skin damage and other health issues.
How is ozone in the stratosphere the same as the troposphere?
No. The ozone is stratosphere is good ozone. The ozone in troposphere is bad ozone.
Name three daily changes which might affect plants and animals?
- Temperature fluctuations can affect the growth and behavior of plants and animals, influencing their metabolic processes and overall health.
- Changes in sunlight exposure can impact the photosynthesis in plants and the behavior of diurnal animals, altering their activity patterns.
- Variations in precipitation levels can affect the availability of water and nutrients for plants and animals, influencing their growth, reproduction, and survival.
What are the layers called that protect us from uv rays?
The "ozone" layer is particularly important for absorbing UV rays since the molecular bonds in ozone vibrate at the frequency of UV radiation and absorb it quite well. The ozone layer lies near the bottom of the stratosphere.
Note that UV radiation spans a range of frequencies. UV-A is the least absorbed/reflected UV radiation. Mostly the atmosphere lets it through. UV-B is absorbed mostly by the ozone in the atmosphere - mostly in the ozone layer in the stratosphere, but there is ozone at all layers of the atmosphere. UV-C is absorbed by the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere - so very little of that makes it through; the atmosphere is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen.
No, it can thin the layer though.
The hydrogen carried with a coronal mass ejection does depress ozone levels (more towards the south pole), but this happens days later than the accompanying solar flare.
The largest "hole" we have ever known about occurred the same year as the largest known solar flare activity. This happened in 1859.
What protects the earth from meteorites and deadly rays?
The ozone layer present in the stratospheric region of the atmosphere protects the earth from the dangerous rays coming from the sun. These radiations are known as ultraviolet radiations and can cause problems like skin cancer and eye cataract in humans.
What does ozone mean in science?
Oxygen molecule, generally it is O2 and is what we breath in. As in Oxygen goes into our body to carry out aerobic respiration.
What is the highest level of ozone?
In the ozone layer, ozone typically reaches as high as 9 ppm. In an oxygen fed ozone generator, ozone concentration can reach in excess of 300 mg/SL (>15000 ppm). Ozone can been liquified up to 100% concentration.
What can you do to protect ourselves from the uv rays that get through the ozone layer?
To protect yourself, curb CFC's. They are the ones causing depletion.
Can polluton make the ozone layer thinner?
No. CFCs from man are causing the hole in the ozone layer.
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.
Another view:
Unfortunately many people confuse the natural hole that we see annually in the ozone layer over the Antarctic, with the possibility of ozone depletion over the entire planet. CFC's, while not a significant factor are not a major factor in this annual event that has always occurred since the atmosphere first contained oxygen.
Looking at the complete picture we see the major reasons for the hole include:
1. Natural chemical reactions (this is why the hole is so much larger in the Antarctic then the dimple in the Arctic
2. Seasonal variations in sunlight. (Ozone is naturally decays into oxygen, so we need sunlight to create more ozone) This is why the hole only occurs during the long winter months
3. Special isolation issues associated with the Antarctic
4. ozone depleting chemicals from nature and man. (anything with chlorine. like salt water)
5. Volcanic aerosols and stratospheric clouds.
The lack of sunlight hitting the Antarctic causes this very natural event and is exacerbated by the other conditions. This is also why the ozone returns to normal within weeks of daylight returning to the area. We know that this hole has been happening for many years before the invention of CFC's by man. In fact, the largest single thinning of this layer happened with zero CFC's present. Solar discharges in 1859 caused the single largest thinning of the ozone layer. In just this one event, it managed to thin the layer by 5%.
Check out the related peer review article below that explains the nature of the hole and why it is predominately a natural event.
Ozone is made both by Nature (ozone layer, lightning, waterfalls, and as an oxidant produced to fight infection), by Man (oxidant used for many industrial, and commercial uses), and by both together (ozone pollution).
Oxygen gas is O2 . Ozone is O3. The ozone-producing reaction is 3O2 ---> 2O3 . This reaction is endothermic - it needs energy input from outside. Most ozone existing on earth is produced very high in the atmosphere; the necessary energy comes from ultraviolet radiation in raw sunlight. A much smaller amount of ozone is produced in the lower atmosphere by the action of electric arcs (sparks) on oxygen. This production of small quantities of ozone is what gives electric sparks their characteristic smell.
Can airplanes fly in the Ozone layer or the Ionosphere?
yes. They normally don't, because it was found they were damaging it. But they do fly through it when flying between continents (Moscow to New York, for example). The ozone layer dips pretty low over the poles.
What causes the depletion layer?
Depletion layer The area in a P-N junction that is free of (i.e., depleted of) current carriers.
The ozone layer is a region with a relatively high concentration of ozone, and is located near the bottom of the stratosphere. It is located 8 to 50km above sea level. The altitude varies with latitude, placing the stratosphere and the ozone layer closer to the Earth's surface over the poles.
The highest concentration is in the lower stratosphere, also called the tropopause. Ozone is found in some concentration in all layers of the atmosphere. Ozone in the troposphere (near Earth's surface) is one component of smog.
Ozone concentrations vary from near zero at extreme elevations (high in the exosphere), to a maximum (~9 ppm) at the bottom of the stratosphere, to zero again near Earth's surface. Some ozone is found in every layer of the atmosphere (usually less than 1 ppm, except for the stratosphere).
(for more information, see the related question)
The ozone layer is in the upper atmosphere of the earth.
Where is the ozone layer thin?
Inferences of how much ozone is overhead depends on how much UV-B arrives at Earth's surface. Once every 13,000 years, the pole facing the Sun (summer there) moves from being closest to the Sun, to being farthest from the Sun (precession). Right now, it is the South pole's turn to be closest in summer. So some effect will be simply that there could be the same amount of ozone, and Australia will still get more UV-B. Additionally, the magnetic field of the Earth directs more hydrogen (aka. cosmic rays) from the Sun to the South pole. Hydrogen oxidizes to water vapor, and water vapor performs a one-two punch... depleting some ozone. This is why the ozone hole is larger at the South pole than at the North pole, even depressing ozone levels as far away as Australia. Then throw in the depleting effects of Man, over-the-pole aircraft flights, release of chlorine- and bromine-containing gases, and Nature's own efforts via volcanos, and all countries see an increase in UV-B arriving at Earth's surface. For more, see link below
