How do people use polar environments?What challenges do polar environments pose?

What is The Ozone Hole? Any ideas?

Answer: The ozone hole is part of the ozone layer, and is an area over the Antarctica where the ozone concentration is much lower.

The lack of O3 due to the lack of sun radiation.

NOTE! The ozone hole is not really a hole. It is where the concentration of

ozone is much lower than normal.

A Diagram of the Ozone Layer…

110 220 330 440 550 660+

Total Ozone

Dobson Units.

Ozone – Where and What? A gas made of oxygen atoms – usually the atoms are in pairs but

occasionally three atoms join to make Ozone.

Its more likely to be found much higher up in the atmosphere.

The ozone layer is formed by the action of ultra-violet rays in sunlight on oxygen molecules, turning them into ozone.

More ozone is formed in the tropics, as it is over the Equator, where the sun is stronger, then it gradually spreads out around the globe.

We need the ozone layer... The main reason that we need the ozone layer is

because it absorbs the ultra-violet light so that it cannot penetrate any further into the atmosphere. This is fortunate for us because this UV light can cause serious harm...

Skin Cancer Eye Damage like Cataracts Damage to the Immune System.

The Ozone History... It was discovered by 2 British Scientists in 1985.

Two years later, in1987, the Montreal Protocol agreed to ban the use of CFC’s. Most countries have now signed to this.

CFC’s are big problem – they last for many years in the atmosphere and they can still get into the atmosphere by destroying old fridges, for example.

In 2003, the Ozone Hole was bigger than ever. But without the Montreal Protocol it would have been much worse. The ban should allow the ozone layer to have recovered by 2050.

Ironically, the people who are worst affected by the ozone hole are the people who discovered it – the scientists in Antarctica!

Your Task… Label the different area’s of the atmosphere

on the sheet given.Once you’re confident with the different area’s in the

atmosphere, think carefully and practically about which layer the ozone layer is found in.

The Sheet…

The Answer! This is what your sheet should look like..

Thank you for watching!

Hope you’ve learnt something new!