The life of the Ozone

Ozone is found in two places in our atmosphere. One form of Ozone is high in the sky and protects us from the harmful UV rays sent by the sun. The other type of Ozone is called surface Ozone and it resides on the surface of the earth in the form of smog. The troposphere, or surface Ozone, is created by a reaction between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

The Ozone that is up in the atmosphere helps enable life on earth by protecting earth’s surface from the harmful UV rays projected by the sun. The threatening aspect of the Ozone is the surface Ozone. The surface Ozone is chemicals put there by man.  The surface Ozone if concentrated enough can ultimately cause lung problems for anyone who breathes the chemicals. The surface Ozone is not emitted into the air naturally, rather it is created by chemical reactions between the NOx and VOC.

The surface Ozone can cause many health problems, mostly to the respiratory system. Surface Ozone can decrease lung function and repeated high exposure can cause lung tissue to scar. Children are at greater risk than adults for lung problems. Their lungs are still developing and the Ozone can cause permanent damage for the rest of their lives.

            The Ozone should be studied greatly by scientists. The Ozone is what protects and harms us, it’s not going away and the more we know about it the longer the safe Ozone can be preserved and the sooner we can cut back the surface Ozone that is so harmful to our heath