Ozone

Question 1

What is the ozone and what does it do?

Answer 1

• Made out of three oxygen particles
• It keeps the Earth warm and filters out radiation
• Formed in chemical processes initiated by sunlight

Question 2

What is the difference between the troposphere and stratosphere?

Answer 2

• As the altitude increases in the troposphere up to the tropopause, the temperature decreases
• As the altitude increases in the Stratosphere up to the stratopause, the temperature increases

Question 3

When was the stratosphere discovered?

Answer 3

1902

Question 4

When was the ozone layer discovered?

Answer 4

1913

Question 5

Ozonesonde

Answer 5

• Lightwieght balloon borne instrument used to measure ozone verticla profile
• Cheap
• Ascend to 35km
• Provide detailed profiles

Question 6

Column ozone

Answer 6

Is the total amount of ozone from surface to top of the Atmosphere. Measured in Dobson units (DU)

Question 7

Where is the Ozone found?

Answer 7

Stratosphere

Question 8

Threats

Answer 8

• Nitrogen Oxide
• Some high tech planes, such as the concorde supersonic jet
• CFCs (Chloroflurocarbons) which are long lasting and used in aeosol propellants, foam blowing agents and degreasers

Question 9

Ozone hole over Antartica

Answer 9

• Discovered in 1985
• Seasonal and persistent feature
• Size and shape varies yearly

Question 10

Why does the Ozone disturbation vary?

Answer 10

• Natural movements of stratospheric air
• Depleting chemical concentrations
• The severe deplection of the Antarctica ozone layer exists due to polar stratospheric clouds forming because of unique conditions, where damaging reactions occur

Question 11

Apart from CFCs, what can damage the Ozone layer?

Answer 11

• Solar radiation
• Volcanic activity (Ozone decreased by 2% for a few years after mount Pinatubo eruption