OZONE, O3

 

An Allotrope of Oxygen

 

Ozone is a highly reactive pale blue gas with a distinctive odour.

The ozone layer is a thin gaseous layer in the stratosphere with a relatively high ozone concentration. It lies at an altitude of 25km.

Atmospheric Layers (image taken from 'Clear Skies CD ROM')

Ozone is scientifically shown to be a better absorber of ultraviolet radiation than ordinary oxygen, O2, and it is the ozone layer that prevents lethal amounts of this radiation from reaching the Earth's surface. Excess exposure to ultraviolet radiation is harmful to both animal and plant life.

 

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Rachel Austin

ra9182@bristol.ac.uk