Ozone

Ozone is a substance from chemistry. Oxygen normally consists of two oxygen atoms. Ozone, on the other hand, has three oxygen atoms. In the air, ozone decomposes after a few days to normal oxygen with two atoms.

Normally, ozone is a gas and does not smell. However, a lot of ozone smells pungent and is bad for the respiratory tract and lungs. It can also cause headaches.

Ozone is produced in industry because it is good for cleaning things. Ozone is used to kill germs and algae in drinking water. Waste water also becomes less toxic thanks to ozone. However, ozone can react with certain harmful substances in the water, creating new toxic substances.

Ozone is important for all living creatures on earth for a special reason. Rays from the sun reach the earth. Some of these rays are dangerous, such as the ultraviolet UV-C and UV-B rays. Ozone is found in the atmosphere, the layer of air around the Earth. This is also called the ozone layer. Ozone absorbs these rays. If these rays were to hit living creatures, it would be harmful.

Over the Antarctic and partly also over the Arctic, it has been observed for several decades that the ozone layer thins during the warm season. Scientists call this an ozone hole. It forms because of dangerous gases that enter the atmosphere from industrial areas.