Good Ozone and Bad Ozone: What is the Difference?

Ozone and global warming long ago left primacy in scientific circles to become part of the world's political jargon-which is a shame. Ozone is really a very simple chemical and is important to mankind, whether one discusses global warming or not. In this article, we will look at ozone without dragging in either global warming or politics. In this article, we will see there is good ozone, and there is bad ozone.

Ordinary Oxygen

The atmosphere we breathe is roughly one-fifth oxygen and four-fifths nitrogen and additional, nearly inert gases. Oxygen, chemical symbol "O" is found in the periodic table of the elements, atomic number eight, and atomic weight sixteen. It doubles up to form pairs of oxygen molecules, formula O₂. It is not only completely safe to breathe in this form-it is essential to the very existence of life.

Ozone Oxygen

Ozone is also made of oxygen atoms, only there are three of them, instead of two, thus ozone's chemical formula is O₃. This modification is called an allotrope. If exposed to more than low levels, ozone can quickly disable and kill man and beast. It is important to monitor ozone levels in the air we breathe, especially for those who suffer from respiratory conditions. Even a fraction of one part per million can cause irritation to mucous membranes and the eyes and produce headaches. For that reason, normal levels are counted as parts per billion.

Good Ozone

Ozone stratifies in layers in our atmosphere. In the upper regions of our atmosphere, called the stratosphere, ozone serves to screen out destructive ultraviolet rays, the kind that burn our skin. Life would not last long if such a layer did not exist. This is the good ozone we referred to. Ozone in the stratosphere does not enter our lungs or cause us difficulty in any way.

Bad Ozone

Harmful ozone is ozone found at ground level-where plants, animals, and man live and breathe. It is produced by the interaction of hydrocarbon fumes with oxygen and sunlight. Such hydrocarbons come from a variety of sources, including cattle, termite and automobile emissions, plus factory smokestack emissions. Such ozone remains close to the earth itself, producing a hazy pollution. Terpenes and other compounds emitted by pine trees in mountainous areas produce a blue appearance-take, for instance, the "Blue Ridge" mountains.

In Conclusion

The conclusion is logical, then. Whether one allows oneself to be swayed in the political arena or not, in connection with the concept of global warming, there is good and there is bad ozone, and ozone levels near earth's surface can wreak havoc on the health of humans and other life forms alike. Thus it makes good sense to avoid exposure, and heed advisories concerning pollutant levels in the air we breathe.