Causes of Ozone Depletion
Ozone depletion happens when more ozone is being destroyed than produced. When chlorine and bromine are released from man-made compounds known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), they cause ozone depletion. Chlorofluorocarbons are said to be the main cause of ozone depletion. They do not break down in the lower atmosphere or brought back down to earth. They go up to the stratosphere instead. There they are broken down by the UV rays of the sun.� Chlorine is released and it destroys the ozone. One molecule of CFC destroys thousands of molecules of ozone. When chlorine and ozone react together, ozone is converted to oxygen and chlorine is left to repeat the reaction continuously. Here is the chemical process that happens:Cl + O3� ClO + O2
ClO + O� Cl + O2
Bromine
compounds also known as halons are also responsible for the destruction of
stratospheric ozone. Compounds with chlorine and bromine from man-made compounds
are called industrial halocarbons. There many other chemicals that helps in the
depleting of the ozone like: carbon tetrachloride, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs),
methyl chloroform and methyl bromide.