OZONE (O3)
                                                                   By Paddy Boyle (Y11TA Oct 2002)
                   

                       HARMFUL UV RAYS

                          (SUNLIGHT)

 

 

   

                              OZONE LAYER 

Gas Ozone (O 3 ) reacts with HARMFUL UV RAYS,
 neutralising and forming OXYGEN (O2)

 

 

 

 

                  OXYGEN (O2) TO EARTH

 

The above diagram shows how the Ozone Layer surrounding the earth’s atmosphere acts as a filter to reduce the number of Harmful Ultra Violet (UV) Rays from the Sun getting to us.  Ozone is a colourless, toxic gas formed above ground level when Nitrogen Oxide and Hydrocarbon pollutants mix in sunlight.  Ozone reacts with Harmful UV rays, forming Oxygen and letting ‘safe’ UV rays through.  O3 is a very useful gas high up in the sky where it provides oxygen and does not pollute or do damage to us, but it can cause smog and lung damage if it is too close to the ground.  The Ozone layer should stop most of these rays getting through but, there is a hole in the layer due to the use of ChloroFluro Carbons (CFCs).

CFCs Gather just inside the Ozone Layer, blocking heat coming off the earth and causing global warming.  It is the Chlorine in CFCs that damage the Ozone Layer and caused the infamous hole positioned over Antarctica that there is much controversy about today.

  The health risk with this is that more harmful UV rays get into the earth’s atmosphere and these cause more instances of skin cancer.  Skin Cancer is caused by over exposure to harmful UV rays and can, if not noticed or treated soon enough, be fatal.  People of fairer skin can easily form this if under too much sunlight.  It can be treated by operation, or prevented be using Sun Lotion when exposed to sunlight for a period of time.  

Click here to see Ozone Levels in Different UK Cities Compared.

Please click here to find out the details of how these harmful UV rays 
may damage our DNA and subsequently lead to skin cancer

There have been reports, as recent as September that after decreased usage of CFCs the hole in the Ozone Layer is beginning to reform itself.


The blue shows the now infamous
"hole" in the ozone layer.

Be a friend of the Earth ... click here   

Learn about the the good side of Ozone, how it helps to block out cancer-causing UV rays and why we are concerned about chlorine from CFCs doing this: -

Click her to learn more about ozone depletion

or here too

There is yet another side to Ozone. It is used to attack harmful agents - both microbial and chemical.
 If you have the time and the interest then visit these links: -

Using Ozone to purify the air.

Using Ozone to kill germs and much more.

 

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