All Flashcards
What is the role of the ozone layer?
Absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, protecting life on Earth.
Why are CFCs harmful to the ozone layer?
CFCs release chlorine atoms that catalyze the destruction of ozone molecules in the stratosphere.
Explain the natural ozone cycle.
Ozone molecules are constantly split by UV radiation into O + O2, and then reformed back into O3.
What is the significance of atmospheric layers?
Understanding the layers helps explain weather patterns and where different pollutants concentrate.
Why were CFCs so widely used?
They were stable, non-toxic, and effective as refrigerants and propellants.
How does ozone depletion affect ecosystems?
Increased UV radiation can damage plant life and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.
What is the stratosphere?
Layer of Earth's atmosphere containing the ozone layer.
What is ozone (O3)?
A molecule made of three oxygen atoms that absorbs UV radiation.
What is ultraviolet (UV) radiation?
Harmful radiation from the sun absorbed by the ozone layer.
What are Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)?
Man-made chemicals that deplete the ozone layer.
What is chlorine monoxide (ClO)?
A compound formed when chlorine steals an oxygen atom from ozone.
What is ozone depletion?
The thinning of the ozone layer due to human activities.
What are the steps of CFC-mediated ozone depletion?
- UV radiation breaks chlorine off CFCs. 2. Chlorine steals an oxygen from ozone (O3), forming chlorine monoxide (ClO). 3. ClO steals another oxygen, freeing chlorine to repeat the cycle.
Describe the natural ozone cycle.
- O3 + electromagnetic radiation -> O + O2. 2. O + O2 -> O3. Ozone is constantly being created and destroyed.