the ozone layer, protection shield of the environment

The debate about the environment and its importance on human life is one of the most serious issues of the current world. Protection of the environment through the prevention of degradation of the environment is a subject that has forced today’s humans to pay serious attention to their environment. The attention has not remained limited to the environment, but humans began a series of research and environmental actions in the atmosphere of earth to better protect the environment and guarantee the safety of humans and its environment.

It would be better to present some explanations about the earth and its derivatives prior to explaining the atmosphere of the earth. According to the Geological perspective, the earth has been split into four layers. Solid (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere), air (atmosphere), and biosphere. However, in some recent classifications, scholars have included ice part of these categorizations. As our discussion is not related to the categorization of earth, thus far, we conclude this topic here. But from point of view of the environment, it is necessary to mention, that each part of the earth includes a range of ecosystems which makes the environment based on its characters and with certain proportions, types, and structure.

The main theme in today’s discussion is the ozone layer which relates to the atmosphere of the earth. The ozone layer is one of the most important parts of the earth which has an abundance of importance to the safety of the environment and the earth. The main question is that whether we knew about the ozone layer? Or had we known about the importance of the ozone layer on human life? 

What is the ozone layer?

The ozone layer is a sensitive protective composed of natural gas. The gas consists of three atoms of oxygen (O3) and is located 25 to 40 km from the surface of the earth. The Ozone (O3) gas has created a layer over the earth which is called the ozone layer by experts. In general, we can say: This layer protects life by absorbing the harmful radiations of ultraviolet of sun and plays the role of a filter for the earth to block harmful waves. 

Characteristics of the ozone gas

Ozone is from the Greek word ozein which means smell. Ozone has pungent smell and even very little amount could be felt. Ozone composes fast with most of the chemical compounds and in order to produce ozone through electric discharge for industrial process including clearing water and air and whitening textile and food produces. 

Ozone is generally unstable and in many operations is used as cleaning and antiseptic. Ozone is one of the most important gas on earth.

Wikipedia defined ozone as follow: “Ozone is a Greek word meaning to smell and has pungent smell”. Ozone is a three atom molecule oxygen or trioxygen. Oxygen molecule has two oxygen but the third atom oxygen brought fundamental changes in the two atom molecule oxygen.”

Ozone layer and the issue of life

Experts and researchers who observed the ozone layer from above said if the earth is observed from the space, a delicate and blue layer that has covered the earth attracts the attention. According to the experts who observed the earth from space and based on the images that space shuttle sent to the land, this delicate blue layer is in fact the ozone layer. The ozone layer or the transparent cover guarantees life on earth. Life, as we know, is only possible with this protective cover of ozone. Without the ozone layer life is impossible. There are radiations in the sunlight which are known as ultraviolet rays which are lethally harmful to life. If there is no ozone layer, all the radiation of the sun will reach earth, and life on earth will not be possible, because all these rays are lethal for living agents on earth. Luckily only a minimal amount of ultraviolet rays of sunlight reaches the surface of the earth. 

Experts also say that during the rain and thunderstorm, humans feel relaxed and breathe the cleanest air. The reason is that thunderstorms and lightning produce ozone gas in the atmosphere and the ozone gas makes the air fresh.

One of the characteristics of the ozone is antiseptic. Most of the time we drink water, which consists of several harmful materials and infections and tastes unpleasantly. But ozone cleans polluted water and gives a clear taste to water.