Bio questions *(about ozones...)?

Question

1. What happens to the CFCs when it's released into the air and reaches the stratoshpere?

2. Where is the greatest amount of ozone produced?why?

3. What are the long-term impacts of an ozone depletion on living organisms?

4. Describe the new"ozone friendly CFCs" that may help reduce the problem.

Answer 1

1. UV light decomposes the CFC's releasing chlorine, which then catalyzes the decomposition of ozone back into oxygen resulting in a depletion of stratospheric ozone.

2. The stratosphere. UV light reacts with oxygen to make oxygen radicals, which then reacts with oxygen to make ozone.

3. Ozone filters out harmful UV radiation from the Sun. As ozone is depleted more UV radiation makes it to the surface of the Earth. UV can cause the decomposition of organic molecules, which make up plants and animals. The decomposition products can be toxic and carcinogenic and therefore can harm living things. If strong enough UV radiation will kill organisms.

4. The ozone friendly CFC's mostly substitute the use of chlorine atoms for fluorine atoms which are chemically similar and so the friendly CFC's have similar chemical and physical properties, but fluorine does not significantly deplete ozone.