What is Ozone? A molecule with three oxygen atoms. Normal oxygen we breathe has only two atoms in...

What is Ozone?

A molecule with three oxygen atoms.

Normal oxygen we breathe has only two atoms in the molecules.

What is Ozone? A natural sunscreen for the planet Earth

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How is ozone made?

This can happen in lightning storms. You smell the ozone after the storm.

What does CFC represent?

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Inert: Doesn’t break down Molecule: A group of bonded atoms that doesn’t break down.

Atoms in the CFC molecule

• C = Carbon (the middle atom)

• Cl = Chlorine (one of these atoms)• F = Fluorine ( 3 of these atoms)

Why are CFC’s important in our lives?

• CFC’s are used in

• Refrigerators

• air conditioners

• to make styrofoam

• Aerosols

• Cleaning solutions

Why are CFC’s difficult to get out of the air?

• CFC molecules are very strongly bonded.

• They don’t break down easily.

• It takes strong energy rays from the sun to break a molecule apart.

• They float around until they get up into the stratosphere which takes years.

• Nothing hurts them.

These molecules float up to the Stratosphere from our homes.

Sun’s Rays Strike the Molecules

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UV Rays Bombard CFC Molecules and Free a Chlorine atom.

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Chlorine is in our swimming pools and bleach.

Bleach kills the HIV virus effectively.

An ozone molecule gets zapped!!

The Free Chlorine Atom Breaks the Ozone Molecule Apart

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One little chlorine atom

• Can cause 10 000 ozone atoms to become regular oxygen again.

• Remember it took sunlight or lightning storms to make ozone molecules to begin with.

• It is a slow process to build up ozone levels in our atmosphere naturally.

How mean is that Chlorine??

Why do we need ozone?

Life cannot exist without these rays getting soaked up by ozone.

• Ozone absorbs ultraviolet rays from the sun.

Ozone acts like a sunscreen around the earth. It is just a gas instead of a lotion.

Why are UV rays harmful?• Cause skin cancer slowly over time.

• People start getting sunburns at a young age without knowing the harm being done to their skin.

• Cause cataracts to grow on your eyes. This again is a slow process.

This is what a cataract does to your eye.

Your Vision Blurs

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Child with Cataracts

Skin Cancer: Which picture has the worst type of cancer?

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One of these cancers is much worse.

Credits

• Pictures were taken from www.unitedstreaming.com and other hyperlinks with the pictures.