Quote:
Originally Posted by John D Harris
Az what's the effect of UV radation on the Ozone molecules? Does UV strip electrons or otherwise destroy Ozone molecules?
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It works like this JD:
UV radiation less than 240 nm splits an O2 molecule into two O ions. The Oxygen ions then combine with an oxygen molecule to form ozone.
O2 + UV radiation => 2 O
O2 + O = O3
Any excess oxygen ions also recombine with O3 molecules to form Oxygen molecules
O + O3 => 2 O2
Similiarly UV radiation will also split O3 molecules into Oxygen molecules and an oxygen atom. The oxygen atoms then combine into oxygen molecules.
O3 + UV radiation (between 240 and 300 nm) => O2 + O
O + O => O2
The final concentration of O3 is determined by the equilbrium balance between the radiative creation and destruction processes.
ChloroFlourocarbons systematically destroy ozone as follows:
Cl + O3 → ClO + O2
ClO + O3 → Cl + 2 O2
So a single chlorine ion can act as a catalyst to destroy ozone over and over.
Lots more details in this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion