OZONE GAS

Ozone /ˈoʊzoʊn/, or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula O

3. It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungentsmell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much

less stable than the diatomic allotrope O

2, breaking down in the lower atmosphere to O

2(dioxygen). Ozone is formed from dioxygen by the action of ultraviolet light (UV) and electrical

discharges within the Earth's atmosphere. It is present in very low concentrations throughout the
latter, with its highest concentration high in the ozone layer of the stratosphere, which absorbs
most of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

OZONE LAYER

The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of
the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. It contains high concentration of ozone (O3) in relation to other
parts of the atmosphere, although still small in relation to other gases in the stratosphere. The
ozone layer contains less than 10 parts per million of ozone, while the average ozone
concentration in Earth's atmosphere as a whole is about 0.3 parts per million.
LOCATION OF OZONE LAYER

The earth's atmosphere is divided into several layers, and each layer plays an
important role. The first region extending about 10km upwards from the earth's
surface is called the troposphere. Many human activities like mountain climbing, gas
balloons, and smaller aircraft operate within this region.

The next layer, extending about 15-60 km is called the stratosphere. The ozone
layer is mainly found in the lower portion of the stratosphere from approximately 20
to 30 kilometres (12 to 19 mi) above Earth, though the thickness varies seasonally
and geographically.

The ozone layer protects the earth from the suns UV Rays. If the ozone layer is
depleted by human action, the effects on the planet could be catastrophic.
DISTRIBUTION OF OZONE LAYER IN THE STRATOSPHERE

he thickness of the ozone layer varies worldwide and is generally thinner near the equator and
thicker near the poles.[9]Thickness refers to how much ozone is in a column over a given area
and varies from season to season. The reasons for these variations are due to atmospheric
circulation patterns and solar intensity.
The majority of ozone is produced over the tropics and is transported towards the poles by
stratospheric wind patterns. In the northern hemisphere these patterns, known as the Brewer-
Dobson circulation, make the ozone layer thickest in the spring and thinnest in the fall.[9] When
ozone in produced by solar UV radiation in the tropics, it is done so by circulation lifting ozone-
poor air out of the troposphere and into the stratosphere where the sun photolyzes oxygen
molecules and turns them into ozone. Then, the ozone-rich air is carried to higher latitudes and
drops into lower layers of the atmosphere.[9]
Research has found that the ozone levels in the United States are highest in the spring months
of April and May and lowest in October. While the total amount of ozone increases moving from
the tropics to higher latitudes, the concentrations are greater in high northern latitudes than in
high southern latitudes, due to the ozone hole phenomenon.[9] The highest amounts of ozone are
found over the Arctic during the spring months of March and April, but the Antarctic has their
lowest amounts of ozone during their summer months of September and October,

Ozone Creation
One billion years ago, early aquatic organisms called blue-green algae began using
energy from the Sun to split molecules of H2O and CO2 and recombine them into
organic compounds and molecular oxygen (O2).
This solar energy conversion process is known as photosynthesis.

Some of the photosynthetically created oxygen combined with organic carbon to

recreate CO2 molecules. The remaining oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere,
touching off a massive ecological disaster with respect to early existing anaerobic
organisms. As oxygen in the atmosphere increased, CO2 decreased.

NASA Goddard DAAC

High in the atmosphere, some oxygen (O2) molecules absorbed energy from the
Sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and split to form single oxygen atoms. These atoms
combined with remaining oxygen (O2) to form ozone (O3) molecules, which are very
effective at absorbing UV rays. The thin layer of ozone that surrounds Earth acts as
a shield, protecting the planet from irradiation by UV light.

The amount of ozone required to shield Earth from biologically lethal UV radiation,
wavelengths from 200 to 300 nanometers (nm), is believed to have been in
existence 600 million years ago. At this time, the oxygen level was approximately
10% of its present atmospheric concentration. Prior to this period, life was restricted
to the ocean. The presence of ozone enabled organisms to develop and live on the
land. Ozone played a significant role in the evolution of life on Earth, and allows life
as we presently know it to exist. Ozone is produced naturally in the stratosphere
when highly energetic solar radiation strikes molecules of oxygen, O2, and cause the
two oxygen atoms to split apart in a process called photolysis.
 NASA Goddard DAAC

If a freed atom collides with another O2, it joins up, forming ozone O3. Most of the
ozone in the stratosphere is formed over the equatorial belt, where the level of solar
radiation is greatest. The circulation in the atmosphere then transports it towards the
pole . So, the amount of stratospheric ozone above a location on the Earth varies
naturally with latitude, season, and from day-to-day.

Credit University Of Alaska

This animation illustrates the formation of ozone. An oxygen molecule (O 2) in the
stratosphere is broken into 2 oxygen atoms (O + O) by absorbing ultraviolet light
energy from the sun. The oxygen atom (O) is now free to react with an oxygen
molecule (O2) to create an ozone molecule (O3).

O2 + UV => O + O
O + O2 => O3

Under normal circumstances highest ozone values are found over places such as
Canada and Siberia, whilst the lowest values are found around the equator. The
ozone layer varies naturally with season. Over Canada is normally about 25% thicker
in winter than summer. Weather conditions can also cause considerable daily
variations.
Ozone is also naturally broken down in the stratosphere. In an unpolluted
atmosphere there is a balance between the amount of ozone being produced and
destroyed and so the total concentration remains relatively constant. At different
temperatures and pressures (i.e. varying altitudes), there are different production
and destruction reaction rates leading to a variation in concentration. The highest
ozone concentrations are in the lower stratosphere, between about 18 and 26 km.
Ozone also occurs in very small amounts in the troposphere. It is produced at
ground level through a reaction between sunlight and, e.g., gases emitted from cars.
As a pollutant it should not be confused with the separate problem of stratospheric
ozone depletion.

WAYS TO REDUCE OZONE DEPLETION

2. Use eco-friendly household cleaning

products
Usage of eco-friendly and natural cleaning products for household chores is a great
way to prevent ozone depletion. This is because many of these cleaning agents
contain toxic chemicals that interfere with the ozone layer. A lot of supermarkets
and health stores sell cleaning products that are toxic-free and made out of natural
ingredients.

3. Avoid using pesticides and prevent ozone

depletion
Pesticides may be an easy solution for getting rid of weed, but are harmful for the
ozone layer. The best solution for this would be to try using natural remedies,
rather than heading out for pesticides. You can perhaps try to weed manually or
mow your garden consistently so as to avoid weed-growth. Or else, try Urban
Aerofarming, which requires less water, less space and little to no amount of
pesticides. To know more about Urban Aerofarms, scroll down. You can check out
the different DIY ideas to make your own eco-friendly pesticides at home to
prevent ozone depletion.

5. Banning the use of dangerous nitrous

oxide
In the late 70’s the world was taken by surprise with a study that triggered a red
alert pertaining to the destruction caused to the ozone layer. It had all the necessary
information that helped us to understand what exactly was going on. Even the facts
and figures mentioned in the study clearly pointed out towards the alarming rate of
how the ozone layer was being depleted.

Nations around the globe got together in 1989 and formed the Montreal Protocol.
The main aim behind this was to stop the usage of CFCs. However, the protocol
did not include nitrous oxide which is the most fatal chemical that can destroy the
ozone layer and is still in use. Governments across the world should take a strong
stand for banning the use of this harmful compound to save the ozone layer.