KOMPAS.com – Ozone layer plays an important role in protecting the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. What is the formation process? ozone layer? The ozone layer is formed through a natural cycle known as Chapman cycle.
Ozone molecules in the atmosphere are not at a fixed level. Rather it can be renewed and destroyed in the Chapman cycle.
The ozone layer is formed from ozone compounds which are formed from three oxygen atoms (O3). Ozone is formed about 6 to 30 miles above the earth’s surface, to be precise in the stratosphere.
Here is the process of ozone formation in the Chapman cycle!
Read also: Causes of the Depletion of the Ozone Layer
Ozone formation process
Photodissociation of oxygen molecules
The formation of ozone begins with the photodissociation of oxygen in the stratosphere. Reported from Lumen Learningabsorption of ultraviolet photons results in photodissociation or splitting of molecular oxygen (O2) into atomic oxygen radicals (O).
Photons of sunlight have energy in the form of hv. Thus, the photodissociation reaction of oxygen molecules can be written as:
hv + O2 → 2O
Ozone formation
Each of the oxygen atomic radicals (O) formed above then reacts with molecular oxygen (O2). The reaction produces an ozone molecule (O3) with the reaction equation:
O2 + O → O3
It is at this time that the Chapman cycle forms the ozone layer in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Read also: Ozone Layer Depleting, How is the Process?
Ozone destruction process
Chapman Cycle not only in the formation of ozone, but also in its destruction. The ozone molecule that is formed can react again with the oxygen atomic radicals.
O3 + O → 2O2
In this reaction, ozone is destroyed and two oxygen molecules are formed. Ozone molecules can also react with ultraviolet photons again. The energy in photons of ultraviolet light separates the oxygen molecules in ozone into:
O3 + hv → O2 + O
In the reaction, ozone is destroyed and oxygen and atomic oxygen radicals are formed.
Reported from Chemistry Libretextsozone is constantly being created and destroyed in the Chapman cycle.
Read also: Why Can the Use of Air Conditioning Increase Earth’s Warming?
From the entire Chapman cycle above, we can see that ultraviolet light plays an important role in it.
Reported from Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studiesthe amount of ultraviolet light is greatest in the tropics so it is not surprising that most of the destruction and production of ozone occurs in the tropical stratosphere.
Basically, the reactions in the Chapman cycle are natural reactions that have occurred on earth for millions of years.
However, recently the balance of the Chapman cycle has been disturbed because greenhouse gases are driving more ozone depletion than its formation.
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