First we are going to explain the whole definition of Ozone Layer
It is a protective layer of the atmosphere that can preserve life on earth and acts as a shield to protect the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It is formed in the stratosphere by the action of solar radiation on the oxygen molecules in a process called photolysis.
UV-B radiation can cause damage to living things, depending on its intensity and exposure time; this damage can range from skin irritation, conjunctivitis, and deterioration in the immune system, reaching affect plant growth and damaging the phytoplankton, with subsequent consequences that this causes for the normal development of marine fauna.
There are various products generated by people known as halocarbons, causing the destruction of atmospheric ozone.
Some of them are:
- Aerosol sprays
- Components of refrigerators
Today, there is widespread concern that the ozone layer is deteriorating due to the release of pollution containing the chemicals chlorine and bromine. Such deterioration allows large amounts of ultraviolet B rays to reach Earth, which can cause skin cancer and cataracts in humans and harm animals as well.
Extra ultraviolet B radiation reaching Earth also inhibits the reproductive cycle of phytoplankton, single-celled organisms such as algae that make up the bottom rung of the food chain. Biologists fear that reductions in phytoplankton populations will in turn lower the populations of other animals. Researchers also have documented changes in the reproductive rates of young fish, shrimp, and crabs as well as frogs and salamanders exposed to excess ultraviolet B.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals found mainly in spray aerosols heavily used by industrialized nations for much of the past 50 years, are the primary culprits in ozone layer breakdown.
When CFCs reach the upper atmosphere, they are exposed to ultraviolet rays, which causes them to break down into substances that include chlorine. The chlorine reacts with the oxygen atoms in ozone and rips apart the ozone molecule.
One atom of chlorine can destroy more than a hundred thousand ozone molecules, according to the the U.S. environmental Protection Agency.
The ozone layer is our warrior against the might Sun that is bombarding earth with harmful UV radiation and we have to tryour best to protect it. Ozone is basically a gas also referred to as O3 which is formed and reformed constantly in our Earth’s atmosphere. If it were not for the ozone layer, our Earth would be barren with slight traces of life. It is also being said that the southern hemisphere of the Earth could have an additional 20% depletion of the ozone that could result in natural calamities like tornadoes, avalanches, fires, tsunamis etc.
Here are some ways in which we can contribute to protecting the ozone layer and our precious Earth:
- Avoid using pesticides.
- Developing stringent regulations for rocket launches.
- Use eco-friendly household cleaning products.
- Limit private vehicle driving.
- Banning the use of dangerous nitrous oxide.
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