Ozone :: essays research papers fc

Ozone     Triatomic oxygen, O3, is most commonly known as ozone. It has aresonance structure, and can be drawn in two divergent ways          O=O-                                   O-O=OIt is a bluish, explosive gas at room temperature, and has a b aneleing directof -119C. It has a melting point of -193C, and is a blue liquid. Itscritical temperature and pressure are -12.1C and 53.8 atm, respectively. Ithas a pleasant odor in concentrations of less than 2 ppm, and is irritating andhurtful in higher concentrations. The density of ozone gas is 2.144 g/L, andthe density of ozone as a liquid is 1.614 g/mL. It is extremely unstable, andsolutions containing ozone explode upon warming. It is found in varyingproportions on Earth, but it is about 0.05 ppm at sea level.      Ozone absorbs destructive ultraviolet radiation in the upper atmosphere, andprotects humans from skin cancer. unless ozone is also the main ingredient of smog,and causes serious health do and timber and crop damage in the loweratmosphere. Ozone is formed through the chemic reaction of volatile organiccompounds and nitrogen dioxide, in the atmosphere, in the nominal head of sunlight.This reaction is called a photochemical reaction, because sunlight is required.The product is known as smog. The notorious brownish color of smog is due tonitrogen dioxide of the mixture. change magnitude temperature stimulate the reaction,which is why ozone conditions are worse in the summer. It is an oxidant,meaning it takes electrons aside from other molecules, and disrupts keystructures in cells by starting chain reactions.     Ozone is a serious national problem. Half of the largest urban areas inthe United States eliminate the ozone standards. The worst regions in the U Sinclude California and the Texas Gulf coast, and the northeastern and the Chicago-Milwaukee area during the summer. The ozone condition varies from year to year,as the temperature and weather fluctuate. This fluctuation also occursthroughout the day, as emissions from morning traffic builds up, the levels rise.Ozone emissions come from many things, such(prenominal) as automobiles, gas stations, powerplants, dry cleaners, paint shops, chemical manufacturing pants, oil refineries,and other business that release volatile organic compounds.     The health effects of ozone are chest pain, coughing, wheezing, lung andnasal congestion, labored breathing, sore throat, nausea, rapid breathing, and shopping center and nose irritation. The symptoms occur when the levels of ozone are onlyslightly higher than the sanctioned standard. Living in San Diego during myelementary school year, I personally mat the effects of ozone the tightness ofthe chest, wheezing, and labored breathing on certain hot, humid days.