Ozone Depletion (Dispelling the myths)

..Ozone Depletion (Dispelling the Myths) About the 03 molecule and our planet. Earth's ozone layer is a naturally occurring layer of gas that sits 15 to 30 kilometers above sea level. It protects life on Earth from the de- structive ultraviolet B radiation that the Sun emits. Ozone is a mol- 10,0000 km ecule of 3 oxygen atoms, highly reactive, and it is constantly being broken down and reformed again up in the Stratosphere. When it was discovered that the ozone layer was thinning in 1985, there was worldwide action to reduce chlorofluorocarbons, com- monly called CFCS. 690 km Thomas Midgley, Jr. invented chlorofluorocar- bons in the 1920s. They were used in refrigeration and air condi- tioning, as well as in the processes of cleaning certain delicate electronic equipment. CFCS were also heavily used in aerosol propellants in products like hairspray and body spray. Shuttle Myth #1:CFCS are heavier than air and don't reach the ozone layer. Myth #2:Volcanoes are the real cause of ozone layer depletion. Aurora 100 km (Karman line) 85 km This is False This is False While it's true that CFCS are heavy mol- ecules like some other ozone depleting substances (ODS), tropospheric winds stir ODS molecules up into the strato- sphere. While volcanic eruptions do inject some hydrogen chloride into the at- mosphere, most eruptions are to0 weak to reach the stratosphere. Man-made CFCS are the main reason for ozone depletion. Meteors A CFC molecule takes 5 - 7 years to get from ground level to the stratosphere, and stays adrift up there for about 100 years. It will destroy 100,000 ozone molecules during that century. 50 km Weather balloon Myth #3: The hole in the ozone layer is only above Antarctica. Myth #4: Higher UV levels aren't even linked with the ozone. This is False This is False 30 km Ozone 5-20 km While it is true that there is now a huge hole in the ozone layer above Antarc- tica, empirical evidence shows us that the ozone layer is being depleted in many places worldwide. There has been shown to be a clear con- nection between higher harmful UV radiation levels and the thinning of the ozone. Laboratory experiments have confirmed the ozone absorbs UV rays. Mount Everest IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO REVERSE THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS. SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Brought to you by: DistanceLearning .com Sources: Image Sources: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/enviro nment/global-warming/ozone-depletion-overview/ "Fresh Water Spray From Bottle By Hand Isolated On Black Stock Photo" By khunaspix / freedigitalphotos.net http://www.epa.gov/ozone/ http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/01/from- ozone-depletion-enduring-effects/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion Troposphere Ozone Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Exosphere