how does chlorofluorocarbons contribute to the depletion of the ozone layerHow does chlorofluorocarbons contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer?
It apparently causes a catalytic reaction where one florine atom turns many ozone atoms(O3) to O2.How does chlorofluorocarbons contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer?
In response to producer_vortex – yes CFCs are very stable, and left alone would have no effect on the ozone layer. Unfortunately, there are situations in the polar regions that enable trapped chemical, raised to the stratosphere on stratospheric ice clouds, to interact with CFCs, releasing the Chlorine from them. It is the chlorine that produces the catalyctic reaction on ozone.
I can’t remember the reaction sequence, but it has been observed to happen, and causes the mass destruction of ozone in the Polar regions. Stratospheric winds then spread the “hole” to lower latitudes.
However, in reality, ozone will never disappear totally, because closer to the equator, ozone is created at such a rate that the polar depletion can never match it.
It is a catalyst for the chemical reaction that breaks up ozone.
I love this question.....
Ok what happens with a CFC: It is emitted from somewhere on earth and then floats up to the upper atmosphere (the same area our ozone layer is found). When the CFC (chloroflourocarbon - Chlorine Flourine Carbon) is hit with solar radiation it reacts and splits off into a flourine carbon (CF) and a chlorine (Cl). Chlorine in this state is highly reactive so it then reacts with the ozone (O3 subscript 3) to form ClO. This then means that O3 no longer exists only O2. O2 is the oxygen that we breath, but it does not carry the same characteristics as ozone (O3). O2 does not block UV radiation nore does it do anything else O3 does. We like O2 in the lower atmosphere so we can breath, but it is useless in the upper atmosphere especially in place of O3. When the chlorine molecule tears apart the oxygen molecule we are actually witnessing how the ozone layer being depleted. That is the most technical and scientific definition out there. Hope it helps....
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Most of the alarmism over ozone and climate are the result of modern communication technology. During the last 30 years, for the first time in the 100 000 years of human history, we have satellite imagery, computers, internet and so on. Every time a storm occurs, it is immediately flashed over every website and tv news channel. People get the impression that a hurricane or flood has never happened before.
The same principle applies to the ozone layer. Some grant-seeking scientist shows a satellite image of the ozone layer to a newsreporter.
He says; ';We have never seen such a big hole in the ozone!';
Yeah, no kidding. The satellite has only been there for 20 years. The earth is 4.5 billion years old. Don't you think maybe the ozone could have changed at some point earlier in earth history?
They don't. And the proof is The fact that chlorofluorocarbons
have been found in the ozone layer indicate that they are harmless. and very stable.
Ozone, on the other hand, is very unstable.It does not want to
be ozone it wants to be something else, anything else.
Ozone will combine with almost any other substance.
Actually, I didn't mean to be this long winded about this.
