By: Kate

The Ozone Layer and the Ozone Hole

http://troposat.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/TROPOSAT-1/images/ozone_hole_eskes_2000.gif

About the Ozone Layer

• The Ozone Layer is 12-30 miles above Earth. It helps protect us from the sun’s harmful rays called ultraviolet rays, the Ozone Layer acts as a shield to Earth and the people of Earth. It absorbs the energy from the UV rays and turns it into heat.

What is Happening to Our Ozone Layer?

• Our Ozone Layer is slowly thinning and it is being destroyed. Each Spring, a hole in Antarctica appears and it grows each year , this is called the Ozone Hole. This hole is causing serious medical problems like eye problems. It can cause weakness to the immune system, you have a greater chance of getting skin cancer than you would if there was no hole, and it is very bad for the food chain.

http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ozone.htm

Chlorofluorocarbons( CFCs)

• CFCs are chlorofluorocarbons. Many scientists believe that CFCs are destroying our Ozone Layer and creating a hole in Antarctica. CFC gases are pumped through coils on the back of refrigerators and air conditioners. Examples of chlorofluorocarbons are aerosol spray, fire extinguishers, and styrofoam.

http://www.ozone-hole.org.uk/images/05a.jpg

Who Found the Hole?

• The people who found the ozone hole were named Joseph Farman, Brian Gardiner, and Jonathan Shanklin. They are all BAS scientists. BAS stands for British Antarctic Survey.

http://www.theozonehole.com/ozoneholehistory.htm

How Can You Help?

• Many people are trying to stop polluting our Ozone Layer and many nations have signed the Montreal Protocol promising to reduce their use of CFC’s.

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Trivia

1. Who were the three people who found the Ozone Hole?

2. How many miles above the Earth is the Ozone Layer?

3. Name one medical problem that the Ozone Hole can cause to your body.

http://trishatruly.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/question_mark.jpg

Answers

1. Jonathan Shanklin, Brian Gardiner, and Joseph Farman

2. 12-30 miles3. Cause weakness to the immune

system, cause eye problems, and you have a greater chance of getting skin cancer.

Bibliography

http://troposat.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/TROPOSAT-1/images/ozone_hole_eskes_2000.gif

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_168/1185529709E8OuMO.jpg

http://www.ozone-hole.org.uk/images/05a.jpghttp://

trishatruly.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/question_mark.jpg

http://www.theozonehole.com/ozoneholehistory.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ozone.htm