Ozone :: Ozone Layer Oxygen Environmental Essays

OzoneOzone (O3) is a whit consisting of three group O atoms, similar to the oxygenwe breathe (O2), however oxygen consists of wholly dickens oxygen atoms. In thestratosphere, a region high up in the upper atmosphere, light rays areresponsible for the breaking down of oxygen (O2), breathable oxygen into its twoseparate oxygen atoms. Lone oxygen atoms are markedly reactive. When a loneoxygen atom comes into contact with a breathable oxygen molecule (O2) itcombines to form ozone (O3). The ozone layer is a small residual amount ofozone concentrated in a band in the upper atmosphere. This band of concentratedozone resides rough between twenty and forty kilometers high in thestratosphere. The ozone layer reactions that both create and destroy ozone hascome into a dynamic equilibrium. This dynamic equilibrium is in truth delicate andresulted during atmospheric makeup (Environment Canada, 1996). Ozone, however,is very rare even in the ozone layer. Oxygen makes up approximately twentyp ercent of air and ozone makes up only 3 x 10-5 percent of air. Furthermore,this minuscule amount of ozone is enough to protect the human race from mostultraviolet light. Ozone prevents most UV-B radiation from reaching the surfaceof the earth (Environment Canada, 1996). Ozone is very important to life onearth because the harmfulness of high-energy UV-B radiation stems from the highenergy of these light rays, enabling them to penetrate deeply into water, sictissue and epidermal tissue of animals. Increased UV-B radiation results inharming the metabolic governance of cells and ultimately damage to genetic materialpresent in effected cells. Living organisms on the surface of the earth havealways been exposed to some, and only slightly differing levels of UV-Bradiation depending of geographic location and season. Through evolution,cellular restitute mechanisms have evolved to safeguard cells against damage doneby UV-B radiation. With the increase in the UV-B radiation, more damage is doneto cellular functions then the natural protection system can deal with(Environment Canada, 1996). Life on earth would more or less be void if not forthe formation of the ozone layer during atmospheric formation (Porter, 1996).With out the ozone layer the harmful UV-B radiation would not allow the growthof autotrophic plants, resulting in reduction in oxygen production ultimatelythe demise of most living organisms on the earth surface would result.Increased UV-B radiation has been linked to many incidence of increased healthproblems among humans. UV-B radiation leads to increase fight cancer, eye damage,and possible inhibition of the immune system (Health Canada). These incidencehave been noticed in humans, and it is presumed that these problems will occur