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Ozone
depletion and acid rain |
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| Ozone
depletion
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Ozone
layer is a protective layer in
our atmosphere (O3,
three oxygen atoms). It's about 19 to
30 km in distance from the Earth
surface. It plays an important
role of blocking ultraviolet
(UV) rays that come from the
sun, which, if there was no
ozone layer ever, cancer would
dominate and even no life would
be in this world! The
concentration of the layer is
usually under 10 parts ozone per
million. The
ozone layer is made up by the
action of sunlight to oxygen,
and the amount is stabled by the
existence of nitrogen.
In
today's trends there is a
noticeable depletion of the
ozone layer. It's popularly
known since 1970 that a substance
called CFC (chlorofluorocarbon)
is threatening the layer. This
substance is usually
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contained
in refrigerators, coolants, and
aerosol sprays. When we use much
of those things (which contain
CFC), we are continually
depleting our Earth's ozone
layer. However, most of the
latest products today do not
contain CFC anymore. Some other
substances, like bromine
halocarbons and nitrous oxides
are also possible threats.
The
effects of ozone layer depletion
are:
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More
ultraviolet rays come to
Earth (this could make the
Earth just like a cooking
oven)
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More
heat, thus increasing the
risk of global
warming
How
CFC depletes the ozone
layer?
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CFC
molecule, consisting of one
atom for each fluorine and
carbon and 3 chlorine atoms,
is hit by the UV rays.
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One
chlorine atom breaks apart.
It will hit an ozone (O3)
and takes one oxygen atom
away to create chlorine
monoxide, thus leaving one
oxygen molecule (O2).
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Another
oxygen atom breaks the
chlorine monoxide and takes
the oxygen atom away,
leaving one chlorine atom,
leaving no ozone molecule.
Process repeats.
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| Acid
rain
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Acid
rain is the kind of
precipitation that contains
larger amounts of acid than
normal. Rainwater is usually
slightly acidic, with pH level
between 5 and 6. Water that
evaporates from earth is neutral
(pH 7) and it becomes weak acid
when mixed with carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere. Acid rain
contains more pH than ordinary.
This is caused by the presence
of air pollutants, like sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
They produce acids if combined
with water. Acid rain is
considered as the wet deposits
of air pollutants, where it's
combined with moisture before
falling into the ground. While
air pollutants that fall without
combining with moisture is
called dry deposits.
Acid
rain can occur naturally, from
the volcanic eruptions. However
we are also causing this, from
the emission of vehicles and of
industrial plants that include
the burning of fossil fuels. If
we continue to increase rate of
air pollution, we are increasing
the risk of acid rain to happen.
What's
the impact of acid rain?
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Deteriorates
building that is made of rock
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Acidification
of soil and lakes
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Separation
of poisonous minerals such
as aluminum and mercury from
the surrounding ground,
increasing the risk of
contamination to lakes/water
sources
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Deteriorates
trees and forests
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Climatic pattern change
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