Earth's sunscreen – the ozone layer
Activity 1
Comparing and contrasting ozone in the stratosphere with lower atmospheric ozone
Compare and contrast the structure, concentration and effects of ozone in the stratosphere with the ozone in the atmosphere near ground level.
Teachers notes
Ozone is the same compound in the stratosphere as it is at ground level. However the concentrations of ozone are very different in the two places – in the stratosphere it naturally peaks at about 8 parts per million while at ground level it is measure in parts per hundred million. Ozone in the stratosphere is beneficial - it protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation. At ground level, ozone is a poisonous gas that can cause inflammation of the respiratory system in higher animals and reduce plant growth.
Posted February 2007.