Chapter 2. Chapter 2: Science Literacy and the Process of Science
Why is ozone in the stratosphere beneficial to life...
Guiding Question 2.3
Why is ozone in the stratosphere beneficial to life on Earth, and how is it being depleted? What is the evidence that ozone depletion might be harmful to the health of humans or other organisms?
Why You Should Care
Because ultraviolet radiation has more energy than visible light, it can cause chemical changes in some molecules; sun fading, for example, happens because UV radiation can break down pigment molecules. UV radiation can also affect biological molecules like proteins and DNA. Suntans, in fact, are the body’s response to excessive genetic damage from UV exposure. Sunscreens work by absorbing UV radiation before it can cause damage to skin cells.
Just like sunscreen, ozone in the stratosphere can absorb the energy from UV radiation and dissipate it before it reaches the Earth. The depletion of ozone from its interaction with human-made CFCs is cause for concern because it is allowing more UV radiation to pass through. Since the genetic damage UV radiation causes may lead to cancer, there is concern that rates of skin cancer will increase globally.
Test Your Vocabulary
Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Blanket of gases that surrounds Earth and other planets. | |
| Conclusions we draw based on observations. | |
| Region of the atmosphere that starts at ground level and extends upward about 7 miles. | |
| Information detected with the senses—or with equipment that extends our senses. | |
| Region of the atmosphere that starts at the top of the troposphere and extends up to about 31 miles; contains the ozone layer. | |
| Molecule with three oxygen atoms that absorbs UV radiation in the stratosphere. | |
| A kind of solar energy whose wavelengths are shorter than visible light and longer than X rays. |
Question Sequence
1.
The scientists who named the layers of the atmosphere did not simply pick arbitrary altitude ranges. Each layer differs from the others in terms of many different characteristics. Based on this Infographic and the information in the chapter, can you determine what some of those characteristics are?
Question Sequence
6.
The ozone layer is located in the:
| A. |
| B. |
| C. |
| D. |
Activity results are being submitted...