What is a CFC?

Question

I also need to know how UV light acts on CFC's to form chlorine radicals

Answer 1

CFCs are chlorofluorocarbons. They are unreactive in the lower atmosphere, however, when they move up to the stratosphere, where they can be broken down by UV light, realeasing free halogen atoms, e.g: chlorine. These atoms have a destructive effect on ozone similar to that of nitrogen oxide.

CCl3F(g) ----------------> CCl2F(g) + Cl(g)
UV radiation

Answer 2

Same as most people have said chlorofluorocarbon. No-one has got the reaction right, however.

Ozone is O3 a tri-cyclic molecule of three oxygens at the points of a triangle; it is therefore very unstable and tends to break down into O2 + O-, where O- is a free radical. While sunlight promotes the reversal of this reaction (2O2 + O2 > 2O3) CFCs also break down into halogen free radicals (rather than just atoms) like Cl- and F-. These free radicals attack ozone, breaking it down into O2 + O-. Moreover free radical reactions tend to be chain reactions so that each molecule that breaks results in two free radicals being formed, so the next reaction is the breaking of 2 molecules, then four, eight etc from just one starter radical.

The bond between C and Cl is the sharing of two electrons, one from each atom. In its normal state, Chlorine is a binary molecule, Cl2, again due to the sharing of one electron from each Cl atom. A single Cl atom is an animal with one spare electron that it is desperate (hence 'radical') to share with another similar atom. The energy of sunlight can break the C-Cl bond creating two radicals, both of which can attack ozone.

The thing about ozone is that it blocks UV light, whereas O2 doesn't. The 'holes' in the ozone are neither mythical nor misnamed. Over the poles where the greatest concentration of solar particles are found and the attacks on ozone the greatest, the ozone has, under the added attack from CFCs, thinned to the point where it becomes negligible. This allows a greater inflow of solar particles and of UV light, both of which contribute to a higher incidence of skin cancer.

Answer 3

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, as solvents, and as refrigerants. CFCs are classified as halocarbons, a class of compounds that contain atoms of carbon and halogen atoms. Individual CFC molecules are labeled with a unique numbering system. For example, the CFC number of 11 indicates the number of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, fluorine, and chlorine (e.g. CCl3F as CFC-11). The best way to remember the system is the "rule of 90" or add 90 to the CFC number where the first digit is the number of carbon atoms (C), the second digit is the number of hydrogen atoms (H), and the third digit is number of the fluorine atoms (F). The total number of chlorine atoms (Cl) are calculated by the expression: Cl = 2(C+1) - H - F. In the example CFC-11 has one carbon, no hydrogen, one fluorine, and therefore 3 chlorine atoms.

Ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation in the wavelengths between 280 and 320 nm of the UV-B band which can cause biological damage in plants and animals. A loss of stratospheric ozone results in more harmful UV-B radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Chlorine released from CFCs destroys ozone in catalytic reactions where 100,000 molecules of ozone can be destroyed per chlorine atom.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What is a CFC?
I also need to know how UV light acts on CFC's to form chlorine radicals

Answer 5

I guess by CFC you mean

Chloro-Fluoro-Carbon

In depth desciption including what happens when it reacts with UV light in sunlight here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorofluorocarbon

CFC also Celtic Football Club but I guess thats not relevant in this case :-)

Answer 6

CFC stands for Chloroflorocarbons.
This cemical is somtimes found in sprays such as spray paint and areosol spray.
CFC is also deadly, it destroys the ozone layer.

Answer 7

Chloro-Fluro Carbons.

Answer 8

Chlorofluorocarbons

Answer 9

Its Chloro Floro Carbon and UV can break the carbon halogen bond to form radical halogen

Answer 10

Choloflourocarbon -- a substance that used to be incorporated into the manufacture of refrigerators and airconditiong appliances that damages the ozone.