Did you know that lightning produces ozone?

But a forest fire also creates ozone. Ozone is mainly known from the ozone layer. This is a layer in the Earth’s atmosphere that, as the name suggests, contains a lot of ozone. The ozone in this layer absorbs ultraviolet radiation and thereby protects the Earth from this radiation. Ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer and is also harmful to plants and crops. In addition, it is also harmful to plankton. Since plankton is an important part of the food chain, ozone can be harmful to the entire food chain. Thus, ozone protects against ultraviolet radiation and is therefore very important for the Earth.

In some places in the atmosphere, the ozone layer is very thin, and there are even holes in it. This is partly caused by harmful CFCs that enter the atmosphere due to human activity. CFCs were widely used in aerosols and refrigerators, for example. In the 1980s and 1990s, global agreements were made to replace CFCs in aerosols with other substances. The ozone in the ozone layer is formed by a reaction of electrical charges (lightning) and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Ozone is also produced at ground level. Some trees and plants also produce ozone, but in very small amounts. Ozone is also released by power plants, oil refineries, and motor vehicles. This ozone contributes to ozone smog and is partly responsible for the greenhouse effect.

The photo with this article was taken by Jorick Homan via flickr.com.