Answer to Question #104189 in Chemistry for Riya

Question

What do you understand by ozone layer depletion? Enlist various effects of ozone
layer depletion.

Answer 1

Ozone layer depletion is a local drop in the ozone concentration in the ozone layer of the Earth. A combination of factors leads to a decrease in the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere. The main causes of the destruction of ozone molecules comprise the reactions with various substances of anthropogenic and natural origin, the absence of solar radiation during the polar winter, stable polar vortex, which prevents the penetration of ozone from the polar regions, and the formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSO). These factors are especially observed in the Antarctic area where the largest level of ozone depletion can be found.

Since the ozone layer is designed to protect the surface of our planet from an excess of ultraviolet solar radiation, ozone holes can be considered a dangerous phenomenon for living organisms. The decrease in the ozone layer significantly increases the flow of solar radiation, which can lead to an increase in the number of cancer skin diseases. The weakening of the ozone layer enhances the flow of ultraviolet solar radiation into ocean waters that may increase the mortality among marine animals and plants.