Why is the ozone stable in the stratosphere?

Most ozone resides in the stratosphere (a layer of the atmosphere between 10 and 40 km above us), where it acts as a shield to protect Earth’s surface from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. With a weakening of this shield, we would be more susceptible to skin cancer, cataracts and impaired immune systems.

Why is ozone not formed below the stratosphere?

This energy heats the air, the higher temperature differentiates the stratosphere from the troposphere. Because the ozone absorbs the higher-energy UV photons, no significant amount of ozone forms in the lower part of the atmosphere.

How does ozone layer protect?

The ozone layer is a natural layer of gas in the upper atmosphere that protects humans and other living things from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. The ozone layer filters out most of the sun’s harmful UV radiation and is therefore crucial to life on Earth.

What is the ozone layer and why is it there?

What is the ozone layer? The ozone layer is the common term for the high concentration of ozone that is found in the stratosphere around 15–30km above the earth’s surface. It covers the entire planet and protects life on earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation from the sun.

Why is there more ozone in the stratosphere than the troposphere?

Ozone production in the troposphere is much less efficient than in the stratosphere because the intensity of ultraviolet sunlight is greatly reduced. CFCs are transported to the stratosphere by this process, which also allows ozone exchange between the atmospheric levels.

How ozone is depleted in stratosphere?

Ozone Depletion. When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. Ozone can be destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created.

Why is ozone layer getting depleted at the higher levels of the atmosphere?

Ozone layer is getting depleted at the higher levels of the atmosphere due to effect of chlorofluorocarbons CFCs which are used as refrigerants and in fire extinguishers.

What is the effect of depleting ozone in stratosphere?

Ozone layer depletion causes increased UV radiation levels at the Earth’s surface, which is damaging to human health. Negative effects include increases in certain types of skin cancers, eye cataracts and immune deficiency disorders.

What is Antarctic ozone hole?

What we call the ozone hole is a thinning of the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere (the upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere) above Antarctica that begins every September. Chlorine and bromine derived from human-produced compounds are released from reactions on high-altitude polar clouds.

How much ozone is in the stratosphere?

About 90 percent of the ozone in the atmosphere is contained in the stratosphere. Ozone concentrations are greatest between about 20 and 40 kilometres (66,000 and 131,000 ft), where they range from about 2 to 8 parts per million.

Why is the ozone hole over Antarctica?

Unfortunately, chlorine and bromine produced from human activities erode the ozone as the sun emerges over the Antarctic after the polar winter, as the sun’s radiation spurs erosion in that region.

What does ozone in the stratosphere above the Earth consist of?

Ozone in the stratosphere above the earth consist of molecules containing 3 oxygen atoms. Cfc’s have the highest ozone depletion potential.