Explain the following about ozone depletion: a. what is the main gas responsible

Question

Explain the following about ozone depletion: a. what is the main gas responsible for ozone depletion and how does it affect the ozone layer? b. What are the environmental effects caused by ozone depletion? c. What are the environmental health effects that could be caused by ozone depiction? Explain the following about global warming/climate change: a. What are the greenhouse gases and what are the primary sources of these gases? b. What are the environmental effects caused by global warming? c. What are the environmental health effects that could be caused by global warming?

Explanation / Answer

3.a) Main gas reponsible for ozone depletion is CFC's i.e. Chloro Fluoro Carbons.When CFC's reach the upper atmosphere they are first degraded by the very high energy of UV radiations, this leaves a free chlorine atom.This chlorine atom reacts to the ozone and breaks it, causing ozone depletion.

b) Environmental effects caused by ozone depletion:-

Ozone depletion means less protection from the sun's radiation i.e. more ultraviolet radiations more precisely UVB radiations i.e. Ultraviolet B radiations.

UVB radiations affects the physiological and developmental processes of plants, it directly affects the growth of plants.

UVB radiations affects the marine ecosystem by affecting the orientation and motility in phytoplanktons, resulting in reduced survival rates of these organisms.

Increased UVB radiations can affect the terrestrial and aquatic bio-geo chemical cycles.

C) Health effects :-

Ozone depletion increases the amount of UVB radiations that reaches the earth's surface, studies demonstrate that UVB radiations causes non-melanoma skin cancer and plays a major role in malignant melanoma development. Also, UVB has been linked to development of cataracts

4. a)Major green house gases include, water vapour, ozone , carbon di oxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

carbon di oxide comes from fossil use and other human activities like respiration. Methane and nitrous oxide comes from agricultural waste. Water vapour comes from the evaporation of oceans, lakes and rivers.

b) Environmental effects:-

- rise in sea level

-melting of polar ice

-increase in CO2 levels

-ozone layer depletion

- change in weather patterns.

C) Environmental health effects:-

With change in weather patterns there may be severe heat or hurricanes, increased storm intensity and rainfall rates,and storm surge.

Climate change can affect health in two ways, first by changing the frequency or severity of health problems that are already affected by climate or weather factors, and secondly by creating new health problems in places where thay have not occured before.

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