Ozone

On 08th march 2012 earth was hit by a solar storm on the earths strong magnetic feild. It is this magnetic field that is protecting us from devastating particles from the sun, but what about much protection closer to earth our stratosphere to be precise. In our stratosphere we have present the ozone which is responsible for absorbing photons from UV light from the suns lethal rays.


Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) are organic compounds made up of chlorine, fluorine and carbon. They were first seen in the 1920's, being developed by a man named Thomas Midgley, CFC's were used in cooling units as well aerosol sprays. At the time there was no concern over the damage that CFC's were having on our atmosphere and more importantly our ozone layer.


Ozone is a molecule that consists of three oxygen atoms, being held together by one double bond and one single. This molecule is what is present in the stratosphere (the ozone layer). This layer is what protects the earth and organisms from the sun's damaging ultraviolet light, which can be potentially lethal in high enough doses to all forms of life on earth.

The suns strong UV rays destroy the CFC compound releasing Chlorine free radicals, this chlorine radical can then combine with one of the oxygen's in ozone thus stopping ozone molecules from being formed. This process will continue to happen until two chlorine free radicals combine together



Three forms of oxygen are involved in the ozone cycle with ultraviolet light are O, O2 and O3. Ozone is formed in the stratosphere when molecules of oxygen after absorbing a photon produced from ultraviolet light, producing two separate oxygen ions from a molecule of O2. The atomic ions of oxygen then combine with other molecules of O2 thus forming two more molecules of O3. 


 O + O₃ → 2 O₂

Electromagnetic radiation breaks up the CFC compound releasing Chlorine free radicals, this chlorine radical can then combine with one of the oxygen's in ozone thus stopping ozone molecules from being formed. This process will continue to happen until two chlorine free radicals combine together.

 Cl + O₃ → ClO + O₂ – The chlorine atom changes an ozone molecule to ordinary oxygen

ClO + O₃ → Cl + 2 O₂ – The ClO from the previous reaction destroys a second ozone molecule and recreates the original chlorine atom, which can repeat the first reaction and continue to destroy ozone.

Over time the damage caused by CFC's has been gradually decreasing as use of CFC's has been decreased, we may see the hole in the ozone completely filled, but until then it is important to know what s damaging to the earth and what can cause problems for future generations