The chemical formula of ozone. Structural formula of ozone

High above our heads, in the stratosphere, at an altitude of 19-48 km, the planet is surrounded by ozone. This is a kind of oxygen. If the oxygen molecule in the air consists of two oxygen atoms connected together - O2, then the molecule that has three atoms is designated by the ozone formula - O3. It creates sunlight. When ultraviolet rays from the Sun pass through the atmosphere, they destroy the usual diatomic oxygen molecules. Each liberated atom joins the neighboring O2. So the chemical formula of ozone - O3 is formed.

What is ozone?

Discovered for the first time this gas by French physicists Fabry and Bewesson. In 1913 it was determined that the sun's rays with a wavelength of 200 to 300 nm are actively absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere. The term "ozone" in Greek means "fragrant", "fragrant". Everyone knows the characteristic smell of this gas that occurs after a thunderstorm. Oxygen is present in the atmosphere in three allotropic forms: O2 - molecular, O - atomic and O3 - the ozone formula, which is obtained by the chemical combination of the first two.

Properties of gas

The ozone layer is thin enough, almost invisible. If all the molecules of this gas, which occupy 29 km of space, were united in a single solid ball, its thickness would occupy only a third of a centimeter. A certain amount of ozone is in the air above the Earth's surface. When car exhaust fumes or smogs are released into the air, sunlight, reacting with chemical elements of emissions, forms ozone. It is especially felt on a hot day, in smog-filled air, because it reaches a level of health threatening. The formula for the ozone substance is physically unstable, and when it is concentrated in air more than 9%, the gas explodes, so its storage is possible only at low temperatures. When cooled to -111.9 ⁰ C, the gas turns into a liquid.

Excess ozone

A person can not live in pure oxygen, a small amount of ozone in the atmosphere is useful, but excessive concentration of it can be deadly. Inhale it is not necessary, because this form of oxygen can damage the lungs. Athletes who inhale a large amount of air saturated with ozone may complain of heaviness and pain when inhaled. Trees and plants growing along the highway, where the air is saturated with exhaust gases, also suffer from an excess of ozone. This characteristic of this gas is above the surface of the earth. Its natural content (one part of it for tens of millions of other parts of the air) takes part in the oxidative processes that occur at the cellular level in the human body. In the ozone formula, only one oxygen atom acts as an oxidizer, and the two remaining ones are released as free oxygen.

Beneficial features

With the use of fully purified air in the premises, the researchers noticed an increase in the number of diseases of people in them. The reason was simple - the absence of ozone in the purified air led to disorders in the body. Regular small doses of gas are useful for disease prevention.

What is the effect of gas? Taking into account the results of the conducted experiments, the scientists came to the conclusion that ozone leads to the destruction of almost all viruses, bacteria, protozoa, as well as mold and yeast fungi in nature. In a few minutes, a small portion (O3 ozone formula) in a liter of air neutralizes all substances dangerous to humans. After all, ozonation is a natural process, common to the body. Even in a room, ozone freshens the air, virtually eliminating the risk of contracting diseases that are carried by airborne droplets, detoxifying smoke, dust and allergens, heavy metal compounds and other harmful air components. Expanding on water, oxygen and carbon dioxide, these compounds lose their toxicity, remove unpleasant odors. Given the ozone formula in chemistry, its high oxidation capacity is increasingly used to disinfect air and water for drinking.

A layer 20 kilometers above the Earth's surface, in fact, protects our health by absorbing ultraviolet rays. It acts as a filter, protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Without a protective layer, life on the planet would be impossible. It is proved that the plant and animal world appeared on Earth only when a powerful shield was formed protecting it from solar radiation. Ultraviolet helps the skin acquire a beautiful tan, but at the same time, it is the main culprit of sunburn and the cause of skin cancer.

The ozone hole

In the 1970s, scientists studying the ozone layer above the planet found that chemicals used in refrigerators, air conditioners and aerosols could destroy ozone. Gases enter the air every time these devices are repaired or when spraying various aerosols. According to scientists, harmful gases, in the end, reach ozone molecules. At the same time, solar radiation releases chlorine from chlorine-fluoride hydrocarbons, which destroys the structural formula of ozone, turning it into ordinary oxygen. Thus, the protective layer is destroyed. In another 15 years, British scientists made an amazing discovery: a huge hole in the ozone layer was located over Antarctica. This hole appears every spring and reaches the size of about the territory of the United States. When the direction of the wind changes in connection with the change of the seasons, the hole is again filled with ozone molecules. In this case, a number of molecules fill the hole, and in other parts the gas layer becomes thinner.

What threatens to reduce the protective layer?

In the winter of 1992, the ozone layer over Europe and Canada became thinner by 20%. In areas where this layer is not sufficiently dense and is not able to filter out strong radiation, the amount of skin cancer is very noticeably increased. Over the Antarctica, scientists have recorded an extremely high level of chlorine monoxide, which is formed as a result of the destruction of ozone by chlorine. The researchers calculated that the loss of only 1% of the protective layer leads to an increase in the exposure to the Earth of ultraviolet radiation by 2%, and with it the number of skin cancer diseases increases by 3-6%. Ultraviolet radiation also destroys the body's immunity, making a person more vulnerable to infection. Ultraviolet can damage cells of all plants, from grasses to trees.

Since the ozone layer keeps heat, as it decreases, air at this latitude cools, changing winds and weather in the world. It is difficult to predict the effect of depletion of the layer on the climate in the future, scientists predict the drying of natural areas, loss of vegetation and insufficient food if the problem of destroying this gas is not solved. Even with the cessation of human activity, involving the emission of gases that destroy the protective layer, it would take him at least 100 years to return to the previous level.