Chapter 26.2, Problem 30SSC

To determine

To Explain: The reason that some scientists are very concerned about the thinning ozone layer by using the concept of electromagnetic waves.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

An electromagnetic wave is composed of the electric field ( $E$ ) and the magnetic field $\overrightarrow{B}$ which vibrate perpendicular to each other.

Ozone layer is part of the stratosphere. Ozone is composed of three atoms of oxygen and is a very reactive gas by nature.

Ozone layer protects the earth from harmful UV radiations of the Sun. The UV radiations are high frequency i.e. high energy rays which emit from the Sun and reach the Earth’s atmosphere. When UV radiations interact with this layer, the ${\text{O}}_{\text{3}}$ molecule absorbs the radiations and get separated into a molecule of oxygen and its one atom.

Conclusion:

The ozone layer absorbs the harmful UV radiations.