When chlorine breaks an ozone molecule it becomes?
When chlorine breaks an ozone molecule it becomes?
Chemistry of Ozone Depletion Chlorine is able to destroy so much of the ozone because it acts as a catalyst. Chlorine initiates the breakdown of ozone and combines with a freed oxygen to create two oxygen molecules.
How is it that each chlorine atom can destroy one hundred thousand ozone molecules in the stratosphere?
The net result of Cycle 1 is to convert one ozone molecule and one oxygen atom into two oxygen molecules. In each cycle, chlorine acts as a catalyst because ClO and Cl react and are re-formed. In this way, one Cl atom participates in many cycles, destroying many ozone molecules.
How is the ozone layer being destroyed?
Ozone depletion occurs when chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons—gases formerly found in aerosol spray cans and refrigerants—are released into the atmosphere (see details below). CFCs and halons cause chemical reactions that break down ozone molecules, reducing ozone’s ultraviolet radiation-absorbing capacity.
Why fluorine and chlorine are so harmful to the ozone layer?
The process by which CFCs destroy ozone involves the action of uv radiation on a CFC molecule. These molecules are highly unreactive near Earth. For this reason, they were considered to be very safe. So, in effect, one chlorine atom has the capability of destroying up to 100,000 ozone molecules.
Is chlorine bad for the ozone layer?
II. Ozone Depletion. When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere.
Why ozone is unstable?
Ozone is thermodynamically unstable with respect to oxygen since its decomposition into oxygen results in the liberation of heat (ΔH is negative) and an increase in entropy ( ΔS is positive). These two effects reinforce each other, resulting in large negative Gibbs energy change ( ΔG) for its conversion into oxygen.
Why ozone layer is thermodynamically unstable?
Due to large negative Gibbs free energy, the ozone is thermodynamically unstable as compared to oxygen. Therefore, ozone decomposes to form oxygen easily. To attain stability, the ozone decomposes to give diatomic oxygen.
Is oxygen or ozone more stable?
Hint: The ozone consists of three atoms of oxygen and is in an unstable state. It decomposes into O2 molecule with liberation of an enormous amount of heat. This heat is released in the atmosphere. Thus, the formation of oxygen molecules is thermodynamically more stable than ozone molecules.
Is ozone therapy approved by FDA?
The FDA doesn’t approve the use of ozone therapy in the treatment of disease. It has further said that ozone has “no known useful medical application.”