Ozone layer

Hi everyone,

What even is ozone? And the ozone layer? Where does the hole in the ozone layer come from and what does it mean? Is it dangerous? What can be done?

Often the ozone-talk can be complicated and confusing, keeping an overview is hard and understanding all the problems always difficult. Let us break it down a bit for you:

What is the ozone layer?

We'll start with the basics: The ozone layer is part of the stratosphere, which is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, between 10 and 50 km above the Earth's surface and made up of protective gases. One of these protective gases is ozone. There is not much ozone in the atmosphere, only 0.3 molecule of ozone per 1 million molecules of air. This is because ozone is chemically unstable and only forms when ultra violet radiation (UV light) hits oxygen and breaks the bonds between the atoms. It fact it is so unstable that even when it has formed, it breaks down again relatively quickly. This leads to ozone turning back into "normal" oxygen (two oxygen atoms, O2) and then reforming back into ozone (three oxygen atoms O3) in a continuous cycle. The reason why ozone doesn't naturally form closer to the Earth's surface is that there isn't enough UV light here to break the very stabile bond between within normal oxygen molecules. Because of this even in the ozone layer, ozone is still quite rare compared to other gases: only around 10 ozone molecules per million.

What does it do?

Despite ozone being so rare, it is indispensable. This is because the ozone layer acts a bit like a shield from the sun's UV radiation. This radiation causes sunburns and skin irritation, but also cancers and premature aging. But remember how ozone needs the UV radiation in order to form? It actually absorbs the UV radiation in the process of forming new chemical bonds. And because the ozone is constantly reforming this happens continuously, allowing the ozone layer to absorb up to 99% of the UV radiation from the sun. This allows for life to thrive on the Earth's surface, although don't forget to use sunscreen, because the ozone layer doesn't stop all of the UV radiation.

Is it in danger?

We've all heard of ozone holes before. But what does that actually mean? From the 1970s onwards, scientists have been worried about the human effects on the ozone layer, especially considering how important it is. More specifically, they are worried about chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are chemicals found in many plastic products. For a while, they seemed like a miracle material as they are cheap to produce and are neither poisonous nor flammable. However it was soon discovered that they damage the ozone layer if they're emitted into the atmosphere. They mess up the cycle of ozone breaking down and reforming. More specifically: when the ozone breaks down, it becomes oxygen (O2) and the CFCs then form chemical bonds with the oxygen, preventing it from reforming back into ozone (O3). Over time, this means that less and less ozone is able to form. Luckily, since the 1970s many CFCs have been banned around the world because of this. In fact, the ozone layer is the only aspect on the planetary boundary model that we have made positive progress on.

However this doesn't mean that everything's completely fine. There is currently a huge ozone hole over Antarctica, which is twice the size of mainland Antarctica! Now an ozone hole isn't an actual hole in the ozone layer, it's just means that the ozone layer is a lot thinner in that area. But it is still quite dangerous, especially in concerns of sunburns and skin cancers. The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has improved the condition of the ozone layer a lot, but the problem is not entirely solved. Some natural disasters are capable of changing the ozone layer as well. For example, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption in 2022 reduced the ozone layer by up to 7% in some areas of the Southern Hemisphere, because it released 35 million tons of water vapour into the atmosphere, which then reacted with the ozone.

We hope you found this post about the ozone layer interesting, and will be back with a new post next Saturday.

Your Green World Blog Team💚

Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231121175239.htm

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231120170922.htm

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ozone-layer/

Image:

“Snapshot of the Antarctic Ozone Hole 2010”, owned by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Comments

Photo Essay | dolphin spotting boat ride

Hi Everyone! Quite a while ago now, me and my family went on a dolphin spotting boat ride, and I've been meaning to share some photos for ages now! We saw so many dolphins very close up and we managed to get some good shots, although it can never be as magical as in person! All photos in this post were taken by me or my family. They were so close to the boat! This photo is stunning! It's under the water! Again - under the water! It was so hard to capture them jumping! This was the boat.... ...

Animals 21-25 in our '50 incredible animals' series

Hi Everyone! Here are the next five animals in our current series! We hope you learn something from this. 21. Stick insect Stick insects are masters of disguise. They look like twigs or leaves. This strange appearance makes them hard to spot when stationary. Stick insects are herbivores, feeding on leaves, and can live for up to three years. Their habitat includes most tropical and subtropical regions, but there are a few species that live in temperate areas as well. There are roughly 3 000 different stick insect species! Not much more is known about them, because they are difficult to find. The two main threats to their populations are the pet trade and people killing them so as to frame their carcasses, like butterflies. Their conservation status ranges from critically endangered to least concern - so basically every category that is on the list! 22. Glass frog The glass frog is, well, see through. You can literally ...

Ecotourism: what it is, the advantages and the disadvantages

Hi Everyone! Today we wanted to talk about the idea of ecotourism, including the advantages and disadvantages of this concept. If you are looking to reduce your environmental and social impact when travelling, then this is the post for you! Ecotourism is a form of tourism which limits the damage to the environment and local community. It can involve helping in community projects such as planting trees, as well as taking part in local customs and festivals. It helps to keep the local culture alive, while preserving the natural environment. The advantages are abundant. By helping in a project conserving the environment, tourists gain a new understanding and appreciation for the natural world and may be inspired to make changes in their "real" life to live more sustainably. It provides a valuable insight to a country and community, perhaps also inspiring more respect for different people and the lives they lead. The projects also provide sustainable income sources for locals, h...

29.11.2020 Animal Of The Week: Jaguar

Hello, Today (29th November) is world Jaguar day so this week our animal is the Jaguar. The Jaguar is an animal I know pretty much nothing about so I am going to learn a lot too! Jaguars (panthera onca) live for 12 - 15 years. Their heads and bodies are 150-180cm long and their tails are 70-90cm long! They weigh 45 - 110 kg. Habitat Jaguars live primarily in the Amazon Basin, though they can be found in smaller numbers in Central America. They once lived everywhere from central Argentina up to the southwestern United States but since the 1880s they have lost over half of their territory. They are mainly found in tropical rainforests but can live in savannas and grasslands. Diet They eat fish and turtles as they are actually quite competent swimmers as well as deer, iguanas, birds and monkeys; they will eat almost anything! Are they endangered? Jaguars are classed as near endangered and face several threats. South and Central Americ...

06.09.2020 Animal Of the Week: Seven-spotted Ladybird

Hello Everyone, Welcome to this week's animal of the week post. This time about the ladybird, and personally I can't wait to find out more about these creatures. Enjoy! Which ladybird we are investigating today? Today, I am telling you about the seven-spotted ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), which is the most common ladybird in Europe. Other species include the Two Spot Ladybird and other uncommon ladybirds such as the 16 Spot and other peculiar types. Habitat The seven-spotted ladybird lives in a variety of habitats such as meadows, gardens and hedgerows. They can also be found on farmland, especially with crops such as alfalfa, clover and wheat and corn before it grows too tall. Diet The seven-spotted ladybird feeds on a range of aphid species. This is why they are often referred to as a gardener's best friend as they eat these creatures who can damage plants. They can also eat white flies and anything else that is soft-bo...

16.08.2020 Animal of the week: Elephant

Hello. On the 12th of August it was International Elephant Day, so we decided that this week's post should be about elephants. Elephants are the largest living land mammals. There are three types of elephant; the African bush elephant; the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant. African elephants have larger ears, whereas Asian elephants have smaller ears. Elephants use their trunks to breath, bring food and drink to their mouths and to grasp objects. Elephants' legs are like pillars. They carry the Elephant's massive weight. African bush elephants weigh 6000kg, Asian elephants weigh 4000kg and African forest elephants weigh 2700kg. Basically, they are very heavy.Elephants eat grasses, small plants, bushes, fruit, twigs, tree bark, and roots. Elephants can live up to 70 years old in the wild. They communicate by sight, touch and smell. Sadly, these wonderful mammals are in danger. African elephants are listed as vulne...

Palm Oil

Hi everyone, Today we would like to share with you some information about palm oil. With all the focus on climate change and plastic pollution, not many people are acting against the use of palm oil. Workers First of all, the managers promise that the workers will have good money, but when they arrive, their passports are taken from them, therefore, meaning they are trapped. Soon they find out that they aren't paid as well as promised. They have to work long hours with no breaks, maternity leave or sick days. Some people have to spray pesticides with leaking cans and no safety gear, meaning they become ill but are still forced to work. Deforestation Many animals are losing their home because the trees are chopped down to make room for the palm trees. they are now facing extinction. Also, trees helped to slow down climate change, but without them, climate change speeds up. So this is a big problem. Help your planet! Image:...

Deforestation and why it’s a problem

Hi everyone, Welcome back to another post. Today we’ll be talking about deforestation and its impacts on our earth. Deforestation, the widespread clearance of natural forests, has been happening for thousands of years. One example is Western Europe, where, two millennia ago, 80% of the land was cloaked in dense forest cover. However, over time, a significant portion of this green expanse was sacrificed to create room for crops, livestock grazing, and as a source of fuel and building materials. Presently, a mere 34% of Western Europe retains its woodland. Today, the tropics deal with the brunt of deforestation. Activities such as mining, agriculture, road construction, and the establishment of vast cattle ranches drive the mass clearance of tropical rainforests. This results in the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating the global climate crisis. The consequences come in two waves: first, the reduced number of...

The life of ... a koala

Hello everyone, Today we're talking about koalas. Also known as koala bears, koalas are marsupials. So they're actually not bears. Koalas, phascolarctos cinereus , are tree dwelling and probably best known for spending most of the day sleeping. They live for up to 15 years in the wild although captive koalas generally live for longer. Koalas have a stout, gray body and a cream-coloured chest. They have a broad face, small yellow eyes and big fluffy ears. In adaptation to climbing, their feet are strong and clawed. Adult individuals in South Australia weigh 14kg and are 60-84cm big. Their Eastern cousins are considerably smaller. Koalas are found in Eastern and Southern Australia, where they live in eucalyptus trees. They feed on the leaves of these eucalyptus trees, eating up to 1.3kg a day. With a body weight of up to 14kg, this means they eat just under 10% of their body weight every single day. However, the le...

How much do you know about climate change? - Quiz

Hi Everyone and welcome back to Green World! For this week's quiz, we thought we would do one on climate change. By this point, climate change is a well known issue, however, we wanted to share some of the specific statistics, some of which are still really surprising. We hope that this is an informative post for you, and it inspires you to take a small action to reducing your own carbon footprint. Questions Roughly how much CO2 is in the atmosphere? (May 2023) a) 380 parts per million b) 400 parts per million c) 420 parts per million True or False? The last time CO2 levels were as high as they are today was 4.5 million years ago. Which summer month in 2021 had the highest temperature since records started almost 150 years ago? a) June b) July c) August True or False? Antarctica loses the same weight as Mount Everest in ice each year. How many p...

Green World

Search This Blog