What causes ozone depletion?

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Answer by kari
Submitted on 3/28/2004
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- Ozone depletion occurs when the natural balance between the production and destruction of stratospheric ozone is tipped in favour of destruction -Although natural phenomena can cause temporary ozone loss, chlorine and bromine released from man-made compounds such as CFC’s are now accepted as the main cause of this depletion -Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) was likely to be the main source of ozone depletion. However, this idea was not taken seriously until the discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985. -CFC’s are not "washed" back to Earth by rain or destroyed in reactions with other chemicals. They simply do not break down in the lower atmosphere and they can remain in the atmosphere from 20 to 120 years or more. -As consequences of their relative stability, CFCs are instead transported into the stratosphere where they are eventually broken down by ultraviolet rays from the sun, releasing free chlorine. -The chlorine becomes actively involved in the process of destruction of ozone. - Ozone is converted to oxygen, leaving the chlorine atom free to repeat the process up to 100,000 times, resulting in a reduced level of ozone - Bromine compounds, or halons, can also destroy stratospheric ozone. Compounds containing chlorine and bromine from man-made compounds are known as industrial halocarbons.

Answer by Same as her...
Submitted on 12/14/2005
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- Ozone depletion occurs when the natural balance between the production and destruction of stratospheric ozone is tipped in favour of destruction -Although natural phenomena can cause temporary ozone loss, chlorine and bromine released from man-made compounds such as CFC’s are now accepted as the main cause of this depletion -Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) was likely to be the main source of ozone depletion. However, this idea was not taken seriously until the discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985. -CFC’s are not "washed" back to Earth by rain or destroyed in reactions with other chemicals. They simply do not break down in the lower atmosphere and they can remain in the atmosphere from 20 to 120 years or more. -As consequences of their relative stability, CFCs are instead transported into the stratosphere where they are eventually broken down by ultraviolet rays from the sun, releasing free chlorine. -The chlorine becomes actively involved in the process of destruction of ozone. - Ozone is converted to oxygen, leaving the chlorine atom free to repeat the process up to 100,000 times, resulting in a reduced level of ozone - Bromine compounds, or halons, can also destroy stratospheric ozone. Compounds containing chlorine and bromine from man-made compounds are known as industrial halocarbons.

Answer by Elf Dhél
Submitted on 12/21/2005
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A build causes ozone depletion up of man-made chemicals in the atmosphere. One of the main chemicals is generally known as CFC or chlorofluorocarbon. We use CFC’s as refrigerants, aerosol spray propellants, as solvents in electronic chemistry, and in the expansion of polystyrene foam. CFC’s are easy to store, non-toxic, non-flammable and chemically stable. As said in the "Atlas of the Environment" because CFC’s do not break down they float in the atmosphere, they rise for about eight years until they reach the ozone layer where they are broken apart by large amounts of ultraviolet radiation. CFC'shave a lifetime of about 20 to 100 years. CFC'scontain one fluorine atom, one carbon atom, and three chlorine atoms. When UV radiation hits a CFC molecule it causes one chlorine atom to break away. The chlorine atom then hits an ozone molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms and takes one of the oxygen molecules, destroying the ozone molecule and turning it into oxygen. When an oxygen molecule hits the molecule of chlorine monoxide, the two oxygen atoms join and form an oxygen molecule. When this happens, the chlorine atom is free and can continue to destroy more ozone. The chlorine atoms do not change after each reaction and one chlorine atom can go on to destroy 100,000 ozone molecules. The result is a steady depletion of our protective layer of ozone. Naturally occurring chlorine has the same effect in the ozone layer, but has a shorter life span. Ozone depletion gets worse when the stratosphere is very cold. It has been cold in the stratosphere in the last few years, so there has been particularly bad ozone depletion. Other ozone depleting chemicals are put into the atmosphere by modern transportation aircraft that we use today for mass-transit. High-speed supersonic airplanes that fly high in the stratosphere are potentially dangerous to the ozone located in the upper stratosphere. The gasses from the exhaust from planes flying in the upper stratosphere can stay in the stratosphere for up to two years, so the life span of them is very short-lived compared to those of CFC's Another main ozone depleting man-made chemical is methyl bromide. Methyl bromide is a colorless, odorless chemical that is as dangerous to farm workers as it is to the Earth's protective ozone layer. Methyl bromide has been used in hundreds of different pesticide applications since 1932. Direct exposure to methyl bromide can cause serious health effects. Methyl bromide is flagged as a deadly chemical by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In the last decade, at least 15 deaths have been attributed to methyl bromide. Methyl bromide's destructiveness does not end on the ground. The bromine from methyl bromide is reported to be 50 times more destructive, atom per atom, to the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer than chlorine from chlorofluorocarbons. Atmospheric scientists have demonstrated that methyl bromide has an ozone depleting potential of 0.6. Any chemical with an ozone depletion potential of 0.2 or greater is classified as a Class I ozone depletion and is required to be phased out within seven years from the date it was listed as such, by the U.S. Clean Air Act. As a result of this determination, methyl bromide production in the U.S. must end by 2001. However, use of methyl bromide could continue indefinitely because of use in third world countries.

Answer by Dee DE DE3
Submitted on 4/10/2007
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well de? ok ill re-edit it for u - oZoNe DePlEtIoN oCcUrS wHeN tHe NaTurAL BaLaNcE bEtWeEn ThE pRoDuCtIoN aNd DeStRuCtIoV OF StRaToSpHeRiC oZoNe I5 tIpPeD iN fAvOuR oF DeStrUcTiOn -AlThOuGh NaTuRaL PhEnOmEnA cAn CaUsE TeMpOrArY oZoNe lOs5, cHloRiNe AnD BrOmInE ReLeAsED from man-made compounds such as CFC’s are now accepted as the main cause of this depletion -Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) was likely to be the main source of ozone depletion. However, this idea was not taken seriously until the discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985. -CFC’s are not "washed" back to Earth by rain or destroyed in reactions with other chemicals. They simply do not break down in the lower atmosphere and they can remain in the atmosphere from 20 to 120 years or more. -As consequences of their relative stability, CFCs are instead transported into the stratosphere where they are eventually broken down by ultraviolet rays from the sun, releasing free chlorine. -The chlorine becomes actively involved in the process of destruction of ozone. - Ozone is converted to oxygen, leaving the chlorine atom free to repeat the process up to 100,000 times, resulting in a reduced level of ozone - Bromine compounds, or halons, can also destroy stratospheric ozone. Compounds containing chlorine and bromine from man-made compounds are known as industrial halocarbons. I gave up half-wqay thorugh it was taking to long!

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Question by EF
Submitted on 11/18/2003
Related FAQ: Ozone Depletion FAQ Part I: Introduction to the Ozone Layer
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What causes ozone depletion?

Answer by nunn
Submitted on 11/25/2003
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hair spray.

Answer by sarah
Submitted on 2/9/2004
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aerosol

Answer by eclips
Submitted on 5/11/2004
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aerosol hairspray firefighter equipment

Answer by eclipes
Submitted on 5/12/2004
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farts and all of thee above

Answer by Rob the Slob
Submitted on 5/20/2004
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Hair products for women.

Answer by searcher
Submitted on 5/27/2004
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nice information kari thanks it saved me alot of time searching

Answer by John
Submitted on 5/28/2004
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Kari, you pulled that off of a website you cheat! That is plagiarism.

Answer by Beth
Submitted on 8/14/2004
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Thanks to everyone for putting your answers up here. I really appriciate that and GOD BLESS! Keep uP good work!

Answer by huh
Submitted on 10/31/2004
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so what it helps

Answer by bom
Submitted on 5/25/2005
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Atmosphere Global Warming Hair spray

Answer by Annie
Submitted on 6/7/2005
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Causes of Ozone Depletion: • Refrigerants, • Anaesthetics, • Aerosols, • Fire-fighting equipment • The manufacture of materials such as Styrofoam. Most refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration contribute to global warming in addition to ozone depletion. Even the new non-ozone depleting alternative refrigerants add to the global warming problem.

Answer by Jamez
Submitted on 9/3/2005
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It's all the CFCthat we we have in our homes like the fridge,air con,and most of your other things in your home.

Answer by MRS ORLANDO
Submitted on 10/16/2005
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i NEED TO KNOW WHAT OTHER CHEMICALS CAN CAUSE IT!!!!!!!

Answer by Sup
Submitted on 11/25/2005
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Wow who cares all she did was answer the question... she would have found it on some other site anyways

Answer by Icengel
Submitted on 12/13/2005
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Plagiarism is not good. please reference your INFORMATION YOU GET OFF SOME SITE!OR BOOK! OR ANYTHING!!

Answer by AJ44
Submitted on 2/2/2006
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-pollution -gas -oil -CFC (chlorofluorocarbon -Meth(body gasses)

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Answer by Maka2e
Submitted on 12/13/2005
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I think human waste causes ozone destruction

Answer by nathan tolley
Submitted on 2/6/2006
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my poo

Answer by Amanda K.
Submitted on 3/21/2006
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Ozone Depletion is caused by a massive build up man made materials in the atmosphere.

Answer by someone
Submitted on 4/27/2006
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this is redicules. the is plagiarism. "hair spray for women"!!! this is insulting to women. this site is crap.

Answer by B-DAY
Submitted on 4/28/2006
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A MI QUE ME IMPORTA!!!!!!!

Answer by science doer
Submitted on 10/13/2006
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kari thats frikin plagirism

Answer by vb tuj mdas
Submitted on 11/14/2006
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fuk u ass hole

Answer by Debby
Submitted on 1/2/2007
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ozone depletion is caused bu CFC'cor chlofurocarbon which are found in refrigerants hair spay and polystyrene and the molecules last for over 100 years and each CFC molecule can deplete 100,000 oxygen atoms in it,s life time which means there is constant none stop ozone depletion all the time.

Answer by bob
Submitted on 2/23/2007
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I just saw Kari's answer on a web site humm, we all wish we were so smart!

Answer by chagfallsbio
Submitted on 5/29/2007
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aersol, haircare products, CFC's human flatulence