Answer to Question #146124 in General Chemistry for Kaylee

Question

The Cl atoms then react with ozone (O3) as outlined in the following mechanism:
Step 1: Cl + O3 —-> ClO + O2
Step 2: ClO + O —> Cl + O2
Write the overall reaction for this Process.

Answer 1

This process is known as the DEPLETION OF THE ZONE LAYER and it starts from;

Step 1: An oxygen molecules is photolyzed by solar radiation, creating two oxygen radicals

hv + O2 ---------2O

Step 2: Oxygen radicals then react with molecular oxygen to produce ozone:

O2 + O ---------O3

Step 3: Ozone then reacts with an additional oxygen radical to form molecular oxygen:

O3 + O --------2O2

Step 4: Ozone can also be recycled into molecular oxygen by reacting with a photon:

O3 + hv --------- O2 + O

Then chlorine comes in through the use of CFCs

Step 5: The chlorine reacts with the ozone to form and oxochlorate then liberate O2

Cl + O3 -------- ClO + O2

Step 6: The oxochlorate reacts with free oxygen to give chlorine and O2

ClO + O -------- Cl + O2

The overall reaction for this process is;

O3 + O -------- 2O2