The ozone layer is the earth's protection against harmful ultra-violet rays that cause cancer. The ozone is a region of the earth's atmosphere that is 12 to 30 mi above the earth's surface. (www.encarta.msn.com) The layer of the Earth's atmosphere that surrounds us is called the troposphere. The stratosphere, the next higher layer, extends about 10-50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Stratospheric ozone is a naturally occurring gas that filters the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. (www.factmonster.com) .
The ozone's job is to absorb much of the radiation that the sun gives off. There are two forms of this radiation that come from the sun: visible light and ultra-violet light. Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see with are eyes and ultra-violet light is the radiation that humans have to protect themselves against. (http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov) Humans on earth are destroying the very thing that protects us and allow us to continue to live on this earth. Without our ozone all human and living things on this earth will seize to existence. To protect our home we need to evaluate the causes, the effects and the future of ozone depletion.
The Cause.
What is the cause of our depleting ozone? It is believe to be caused by many of the things we used in our everyday lives: cars, refrigerators and aerosol cans. The ingredients that are in these items are compounds called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), which was created in 1928 and other pollutes like halons that are used in fire extinguishers. (www.factmonster.com) When CFCs reach the stratosphere, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes them to break apart and release chlorine atoms, which react with ozone, starting chemical cycles of ozone destruction that deplete the ozone layer. One chlorine atom can break apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules. (www.greenpeace.org) .
Chlorofluorocarbons and these other pollutants are spread into the upper atmosphere by the wind.
