How was the hole in the ozone layer created?

Question

I've been emailing a very naive woman for a while now about the ozone layer. She says the ozone layer is just made up of light and oxygen so how can light and oxygen just disappear?

I've never studied chemistry and neither has she.
She's the only person I've spoken to that believes that the hole is a myth.

So how was it created? Is it really there?

Answer 1

By definition ozone is just triple bonded oxygen, and at that altitude all you have is incoming solar energy and rising low density gases from down below. So in a way she was right....

For a few decades we were emitting some gases that when they reach the ozone layer, break the oxygen bonds and cause the triple oxygen to form other compounds. This is bad because the ozone layer absorbs a lot of UV radiation.

Answer 2

Yes, rocket exhaust makes holes in the ozone layer. A rocket launched from White Sands NM made a county-sized hole in the ozone layer back in 2000 in the wee hours of the morning, and the Sun healed it shut as soon as UV-C hit that are of the atmosphere. But rockets do far less damage than the number of aircraft flights they can replace when they loft satellites to do the observations that need done. No, the ozone holes at the poles are a natural phenomenon, that occur twice a year (once at each pole) every year, and has since there has been an ozone layer. Ozone is very unstable, decays with time, and if the Sun doesn't shine on a region, its ozone decays. Man has made the holes larger, "deeper", start sooner, and last longer. And rockets play a smaller part in overall depletion than aircraft do.

Answer 3

The ozone layer really does exist and there really is a hole in it... the air we breathe is made up of oxygen O2 (the number 2 should be in subtext)... ozone however is made of O3... three oxygen atoms bounds together with a fairly weak bond. During the early part of the 20th century someone invented something called the chlorofluorocarbon to make spraying stuff out of cans easier (okay there are several other uses but that's an easy one to relate to)... chlorofluorocarbons upon being released in the atmosphere travel very high up into the atmosphere. When they get there (up near the ozone layer) UV light from the sun causes a reaction between those chemicals and the ozone that makes up the ozone layer. this causes ozone to break apart into regular molecular oxygen which isn't as effective in protecting us as ozone is... this is what has created the hole. And although chlorofluorocarbons have been banned in most parts of the world for some time now... the ozone layer hasn't been able to repair itself yet.

Answer 4

Ozone hole is caused chiefly by ozone reacting chemically with chlorine and bromine from industrially manufactured gases.This is further explained below.
The Chlorofluro carbons(CFCs) are compounds which are used as propellants in aersol sprays,refrigerants, coolants, cleaning agents, insulants and plastic foam, are the main eaters of ozone.
When this CFCs reach upper layers,they are exposed to strong UV rays in the stratosphere.It is broken apart.This releases a chlorine atom, which attacks an ozone molecule,pulls away one of the three ozone atoms,and forms chlorine monoxide molecule thus destroying the ozone molecule.This process continues further as stated below.
The oxygen atom from the newly formed chlorine monoxide molecule is pulled away(in a revengeful way)by free oxygen atoms freeing the chlorine atom to restart the cycle.Thus progressively more ozone molecules are destroyed creating the ozone depletion(hole).

Answer 5

Hi Wabby, I had a bad case of gas and blew a small hole in the ozone layers. Yes I am kidding!!! The Ozone is suppose to have a whole in it. The layers are thinning out this is what is suppose to protect all of us from, "The Suns Hot Hot Rays".
A Friend,
poppy1

Answer 6

how about it's caused by launching space shuttles and satellites into space! that's gotta have a huge affect.. if not by the physical penetration, the rocket fuel exhaust must do a number on the ozone layer.

Answer 7

shes the only person you have spoken to says its a myth, well i think she needs to move into the real world

CFC's as above are the cause

your friend is either the smartest person alive or not - shes not alone many people dont believe the globe is warming either - even if they are shown the proof - you can lead a horse to water, you cant make it drink

a

Answer 8

Going through some random questions I found yours, You said that your birthday is on the 22nd of November, Mine is ALSO on the 22nd of November :] I live in Australia :)

Answer 9

CFC's cause a molecular break down of molecules.

Answer 10

Yes it was really there. It was cause by chemicals called chloroflorocarbons or CFC's.