What is Ozone?
Ozone is a colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen. Ozone occurs both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is found: Good Ozone. Ozone occurs naturally in the Earth’s upper atmosphere-10 to 30 miles above the Earth’s surface-where it forms a protective layer that shields us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. This “good” ozone is gradually being destroyed by manmade chemicals. An area where ozone has been most significantly depleted-for example, over the North or South pole-is sometimes called a “hole in the ozone.” Bad Ozone. In the Earth’s lower atmosphere, near ground level, ozone is formed when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight. The booklet Ozone: Good Up High, Bad Nearby, which can be found on the web at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/gooduphigh, contains additional information about both goo
Ozone: Good Up High – Bad Nearby Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive gas composed of three oxygen atoms. Depending on where it is in the atmosphere, ozone affects life on Earth in either good or bad ways. Stratospheric ozone is formed naturally through the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2). The stratospheric “ozone layer” extends from approximately six to thirty miles above the Earth’s surface and reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. Tropospheric, or ground-level, ozone forms primarily from reactions between two major classes of air pollutants: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These reactions depend on the presence of heat and sunlight, meaning more ozone forms in the summer months.
When the oxygen (O2) that is all around us rises to the upper atmosphere, and is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, that oxygen is naturally turned into ozone (O3). That is the “ozone layer” that protects us from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Since ozone is heavier than air it naturally falls back to earth. This is the ozone that naturally purifies our air and water. Without ozone nature could not purify our Earth. Because it is made up entirely of oxygen ozone is sometimes called “activated oxygen”. Ozone is NOT smog or pollution as sometimes mistakenly reported. Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world and its function is to destroy bacteria, viruses and odors. Ozone also occurs commonly in nature as a result of lightning strikes during thunderstorms. The “fresh, clean, spring rain ” smell that we notice after a storm results from natures creation of ozone. Ozone is also created by water falls. If natural ozone ceased to exist, life on this planet would also cease to
Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3). It occurs naturally in small (trace) amounts in the upper atmosphere (the stratosphere). Ozone protects life on Earth from the Sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) near the Earth’s surface, ozone is created by chemical reactions between air pollutants from vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and other emissions. At ground level, high concentrations of ozone are toxic to people and plants.
Ozone is a colorless odorless gas made of oxygen. Most oxygen in the air is O2 – two joined oxygen atoms. This is the oxygen that sustains life. Ozone is O3 – three oxygen atoms joined together. Ozone is ready to react … … with whatever it meets. This makes it very useful for cleaning and disinfecting. But, when it comes in contact with living tissues like our lungs it can cause damage and illness. Ozone can also corrode building materials, statues and monuments, and natural rock features in the landscape.
