Ozone layer depletion
Ozone is a form of oxygen (O3). In the stratosphere (ozonosphere), ozone blocks out the sun’s ultraviolet rays and is a lifesaver.
Ozone as a natural sun block (Ozone layer depletion)
The electromagnetic radiation emitted from the sun includes
ultraviolet radiation, which is potentially harmful to most living things since it can damage DNA.
The ozone layer screens out the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Even 1% reduction in the amount of ozone in the upper stratosphere causes a measurable increase in the ultraviolet radiation that reaches the earth surface.
If there was no ozone at all, the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching us would be catastrophically high. All living things would suffer radiation burns, unless they were underground,
or in the sea. (Ozone layer depletion)
In the stratosphere, small amount of ozone are constantly being made by the action of sunlight on oxygen. At the sametime, ozone is being broken down by natural processes.
The total amount of ozone usually stays constant
because its formation and destruction occur at about the same rate. But unfortunately human activity has recently changed that natural balance. (Ozone layer depletion)
Some manufactured substances such as chloroflurocarbons and hydrochloroflurocarbons can destroy stratosphere ozone much faster than it is formed.
Ozone hole: (Ozone layer depletion)
Ozone loss was first detected in the stratosphere over the Antarctic.
The part of the atmosphere where ozone is most depleted is referred as
“Ozone hole” but it is not a real hole just a vast region of the upper atmosphere where there is less ozone than elsewhere.
Ozone-poor air can spread out from the Polar regions and move above other areas. In addition, direct ozone depleted are is also slowly increasing. (Ozone layer depletion)
Reasons for the Antarctic Ozone hole: (Ozone layer depletion)
Scientific observations prove that the ozone hole formed over
Antarctic is due to compounds of chlorine and bromine formed in the atmosphere. Nearly all of the chlorine and half of the bromine in the stratosphere comes from human activities, the chlorofluocarbons released due to human activities transported up into the upper stratosphere.
The most common Ozone depleting substances (ODS) are
chloroflurocarbons (CFC) or freon gases, bromine compounds on halons, nitrogen oxides and methyl bromide. These compounds are liberally released from air-conditioners, freezers, foam insulations, aerosol products, industrial
solevents, fire extinguishers and pesticides. (Ozone layer depletion)
Related Topics in Zoology:
Bio Zoology All Important Topics
- Human population and explosion
- Population Explosion
- Growing Population and Environmental impacts
- Global warming – Green house effect
- Ozone layer depletion
- Prevention and Effect of Ozone depletions
- Waste management – Classification
- Management of hazardous wastes
- Management of non hazardous wastes
- Waste water treatment and management
- Biodiversity
- Conservation of Biodiversity
- Characteristics of a Bioreserve
- Energy crisis and its environmental impact
- Steps to be taken to resolve energy crisis
- Environmental impacts of Power Sources
- Poverty and environment
- Fresh water crisis and management
Unit 6. APPLIED BIOLOGY Topic List Zoology
- Livestock and Management
- Important cattle breeds and their characteristics
- Milch breeds (or) Dairy breeds
- Dual purpose breeds & Draught breeds
- Exotic breeds of cattle
- Common diseases and control in Cattle – Contagious diseases
- Non-contagious diseases – Cattle
- Techniques adopted in cattle breeding
- Poultry Breeds
- Farming methods
- Poultry byproducts
- Fish Pond
- Edible Fishes Of Tamilnadu
- Medical Lab Techniques – Stethoscope
- Sphygmomanometer
- Haemocytometer
- Urine Sugar analysis
- ECG Electrocardiogram
- Computed Tomography CT
- Endoscopy (Laproscopy) techniques , Artificial Pacemaker
- Autoanalyser