Our Radiant Planet- Depletion Of The Ozone Layer

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Term Paper Title	Our Radiant Planet- Depletion Of The Ozone Layer
# of Words	936
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	3.74

Our Radiant Planet- Depletion of the Ozone Layer

Our Radiant Planet- Depletion of the Ozone Layer

Ozone is a relatively unstable form of molecular oxygen containing three oxygen
atoms produced when upper-atmosphere oxygen molecules are split by ultra violet
light. Stratospheric ozone is found in a broad band, extending generally from 15
to 35km above the earth.  Although the ozone layer is surprisingly thin, it acts
as a protective shield to the earth, as it filters out most of the harmful solar
ultraviolet radiation (in particular UV-B) that would otherwise reach our
planets surface.

Humans have damaged the ozone layer by adding molecules containing chlorine
and/or bromine that lead to ozone destruction. The largest group among these are
chloroflurocarbons  (CFC's). At ground level, these molecules are very stable
and have many uses in industrial and domestic applications, such as in spray
cans, industrial solvents, degreasing compounds, and cooling in fridges. However
when released into the stratosphere, such molecules can be broken down by
energetic light rays (UV-C radiation) in a reaction that liberates an atom of
chlorine, which destroys ozone by oxidising with the Ozone molecules, forming
Cl-O and Oxygen. One atom of chlorine can destroy 10,000 ozone molecules! Atoms
containing bromine, nitrous oxide, and hydrogen oxide radicals are also
primarily dangerous. As a result, the Ozone in the stratosphere has been reduced
to such an extent that ozone holes are appearing around the globe, in particular
one over Antarctica that in 1995 measured 8.2 million square miles. This
depletion has allowed more dangerous UV-B radiation to reach the earths surface.

So what effects will ozone depletion have on us? Although, at present,  the
ozone layer blocks out most of the damaging UVB radiation received from the Sun,
a small amount slips by, damaging out skin in the form of sunburns and suntans.
UVB radiation is strongly absorbed in the skin and in the outer layers of the
eye. Human skin has developed various defence mechanisms against the damaging
effects of UV radiation. The skin adapts to increased UV exposure by thickening
its outer layer and by developing pigmentation that serves to shade the more
vulnerable and deeper residing dividing cells.  Overly damaged cells will
normally self destruct through a process called apoptosis, and if this fails,
the immune system should get rid of any resulting aberrant cells. It is when
these natural safeguards fail or a...

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