Q13: What is the Ozone Layer
Answer: The ozone layer is a vast shield that surrounds the Earth and extends 50 kilometres above the planet’s surface. Ozone is a unique oxygen molecule with the formula O3. It can be up to 20 kilometres thick, with the majority of the gas located in the stratosphere. Our protection from UVB rays is provided by ozone gases. The Sun emits this harmful radiation, which is exceedingly deadly. The ozone hole, which spans between 21 and 24 million square kilometres and is mostly over Antarctica, is between 21 and 24 million square kilometres in size. Ozone reacts with CFCs, which are pollutants used in refrigeration, causing enormous breaches in this protection layer.
