What is the Ozone Layer?

What is the Ozone Layer?

These days we often hear about the ozone layer. But, what is the ozone layer?

Ozone is a form of oxygen. Each atom of Ozone contains three atoms of oxygen. It is bluish in color, and is a powerful oxidizing agent. Ozone is chemically a very active gas.

Well, the ozone layer is nothing but a substantially wide layer present in the stratosphere. It surrounds the earth, encircling it, and comprises huge quantities of ozone. This layer protects the Earth from the dangerous ultraviolet radiation of the sun that falls on the earth, thus performing the function of a shield.

Ozone has many other benefits for human beings. It is very effective in quickly killing germs. It is used for water purification, and also in the purification of other substances like flour, wax, etc.

Since the last few decades it has been observed that the ozone layer, especially the layer above the Polar Regions, is slowly getting depleted. This is happening due to photochemical reactions between ozone and highly unstable chlorofluoro carbons (CFCs) that are being released into the atmosphere because of the large scale use of refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosols.

Ozone is formed when oxygen in the air is subjected to an electric discharge. Ironically, small quantities of ozone are also formed due to the ultraviolet radiation.

Find out yourself:

1. Why do we need Ozone in the stratosphere to exist?
2. What is being done to control depletion of the ozone layer?
3. Is the ozone layering uniform all over the earth? Why/Why not?