Ozone formation
stratospheric ozone
Stratospheric ozone (which is the upper layer of the atmosphere) is formed naturally through chemical reactions that include the presence of ultraviolet sunlight and oxygen molecules that make up about 21% of the atmosphere, and in the first step of the reactions, the ultraviolet rays of the sun break down one oxygen molecule to produce two oxygen atoms In the second step, the highly reactive oxygen atoms unite with an oxygen molecule to produce an ozone molecule (O3). These reactions occur continuously when the sun's ultraviolet rays are present in the stratosphere. As a result, large amounts of ozone are produced in the tropical stratosphere.
Tropospheric ozone
Tropospheric ozone is formed in the troposphere (lowest layer of the atmosphere) man-made, and is formed as an indirect result of air pollution resulting from vehicle exhaust and emissions from power plants and factories, where the combustion of gasoline and coal leads to the release of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and organic compounds Volatile in the air (VOC), and as a result of high temperatures, these gases combine with oxygen and form ozone.
Ozone Layer
The ozone layer is located in the upper atmosphere at an altitude of approximately 15 to 35 km above the earth’s surface, and this layer contains relatively high concentrations of ozone particles, as 90% of the ozone in the atmosphere is formed in the stratosphere, which extends from 10-18 to 50 km. km above the earth's surface.
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The ozone layer helps protect life on Earth's surface by absorbing the sun's ultraviolet rays, especially the harmful rays that cause skin cancer and cataracts and destroy crops and some types of marine life. Ozone depletion also leads to serious health problems for humans and the environment. Many countries ban the use of chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) that deplete the ozone layer.
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