Ozone

Ozone GSS book cover

OZONE is a success story about how people around the globe are cooperating to solve a serious environmental problem. See Overview.

Contents

Chapter TitlesInvestigationsStay Current
1. Strange HappeningsChapter 1
2. Ozone in Nature2.1 Sun’s SpectrumChapter 2
3. The Danger of UV to Living Things3.1 Melanoma Increasing
3.2 Sunscreens
3.3 Sunglasses
3.4 Effect of UV on Plants
Chapter 3
4. CFCs Are InventedChapter 4
5. A Mystery SolvedChapter 5
6. The Loss of ’84 and the Surprise of ’856.1 Ozone MonitoringChapter 6
7. Expedition to AntarcticaChapter 7
8. Measuring Ozone8.1 Ozone Measuring
8.2 Pixels
Chapter 8
9. Global Efforts to Recover OzoneChapter 9
10. The Other Face of OzoneChapter 10
11. Hazards of Ozone in the Troposphere11.1 Lung CapacityChapter 11
Acknowledgements

Overview

Ozone gas in the upper atmosphere shields our planet from ultraviolet light that is thought to cause skin cancer and cataracts in humans, and that may be harmful to a wide variety of plants and animals. The story of how the depletion of ozone came to be recognized and connected to the production of certain chemicals used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and the computer industry demonstrates that science can be an exciting and adventuresome field, and that people in a wide variety of careers often play important roles in scientific discoveries. The fascinating epilogue in which more than 100 countries agreed to phase out the ozone-destroying chemicals clearly shows the connection between science and social action. Since ozone will continue to be depleted for several decades due to chemicals already in the atmosphere, your students will learn how to protect themselves by monitoring the levels of UV radiation in their community, and experimenting with sun block to see if it really offers protection from the ultraviolet rays of the Sun.