What is the ozone layer? Why do we need it?

Answer 1

The ozone layer, or ozonosphere layer (very rarely used term), is the part of the Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). "Relatively high" means a few parts per million - much higher than the concentrations in the lower atmosphere but still small compared to the main components of the atmosphere.

Although the concentration of ozone in the ozone layer is very small, it is vitally important to life because it absorbs biologically harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted from the Sun. UV radiation is divided into three categories, based on its wavelength; these are referred to as UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. UV-C, which would be very harmful to humans, is entirely screened out by ozone at around 35 km altitude.

UV-B radiation can be harmful to the skin and is the main cause of sunburn; excessive exposure can also cause genetic damage, resulting in problems such as skin cancer. The ozone layer is very effective at screening out UV-B; for radiation with a wavelength of 290 nm, the intensity at Earth's surface is 350 million times weaker than at the top of the atmosphere. Nevertheless, some UV-B reaches the surface. Most UV-A reaches the surface; this radiation is significantly less harmful, although it can potentially cause genetic damage.

Depletion of the ozone layer allows more of the UV radiation, and particularly the more harmful wavelengths, to reach the surface, causing increased genetic damage to living organisms.

Answer 2

Although the concentration of ozone in the ozone layer is very small, it is vitally important to life because it absorbs biologically harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted from the Sun. Now, about global warming--
Certain gases don't let the heat escape from the Earth's surface. It's like putting on an extra blanket or an extra sweater. If you put on a sweater, the sweater does not actually make any heat. It just makes it so that the heat from your body does not escape as easily.

Millions of tons of crap DAILY into the atmosphere is nothing to sneeze at. Pun intended.

We are screwing ourselves over for a buck.
Shooting ourselves in the herd.
Stepping on our own ducks.
Cutting off our nose to spite our finch.
Kicking ourselves in the aardvark.

We're ruining it for everybody and everything, and people who can't accept it are three fries short of a Happy Meal.
Have a nice day.

Answer 3

Ozone is a polymer of oxygen which has three atoms of oxygen in its molecule, instead of the normal two found in ordinary oxygen. Ozone accumulates in the upper reaches of the earth's atmosphere, perhaps as a result of the action of the sun's UV radiation which splits the molecule into atoms, but these atoms somehow recombine to form not di-atomic(O2) oxygen, but tri-atomic (O3) ozone. Nature, it appears, has a good reason for enabling the formation of this process. The ozone layers above the earth's atmosphere are known to act as shields against dangerous cosmic radiations to which all planetary objects, including the earth, are exposed. As always, man seems to be his own worst enemy. Pollutants produced from certain refrigeration machines, known as CFCs (Carbon floro-chlorides) are particularly corrosive to the ozone layer, being capable of punching holes in or eating away whole portions of this protective shield. This is known as Ozone layer depletion and has been most noticeable in the atmosphere over the Antartica.

Answer 4

You must be knowing about the exceeding amt. of pollution on planet 'EARTH'.These gases in the form of pollution go in the upper atmosphere and are there called CFC s [Chloro Phloro carbons] and HCFCs [hydro " " "]. The Ozone Layer is made by the Nature Itself and protects us from the UV rays Or Ultra violet Radiations coming from the Sun.These uv rays are having the capability to enter our skin---organ---tissue---cell---nucleus and even the DNA and thus cause us diseases like SKIN CANCER,etc. The CFC s can enter the ozone layer and thus causing a hole in it and that's why the antarctic portion of the earth is melting because of the extreme heat and UV rays.