Ozone Layer and Its Problems essays

Ozone Layer and Its Problems essays Some of the worlds brightest scientists have come up with the theory, that the human race is slowly depleting the ozone layer. By depleting the ozone layer the planet becomes warmer. Ozone depletion has been one of the most discussed issues in the past twenty years, when it comes to the environment. Many of the theories today say that if ozone depletion continues the planet will become warmer and the polar ice cap will melt. Anywhere from five to twenty-five miles above the earth is a protective blanket of gases know as the atmosphere. This atmosphere helps to hold in the air that we breathe and to protect the earth from the full effect of the suns ultraviolet rays (Emmel 22). The upper part of the atmosphere is called the stratosphere; this is where the ozone layer is located. The ozone layer is the main tool for filtering out most of the suns ultraviolet rays and only makes up one-millionth of the atmosphere. The ozone layer has one of the most important jobs in entire atmosphere. Its job is to absorb, reflect, or get rid of as many ultraviolet rays possible. Even with all of this some of the UV rays still get passed the ozone layer. But, because of the ozone layer there are not enough UV rays to hurt the earth. If not for the ozone layer life is it is today would not be possible. About thirty or forty years ago scientists noticed the beginnings of a small hole. In the last thirty year the hole has become bigger each and every year. Now the hole is as big as the United States and is sitting over Antarctica (Biggs 8). Special measuring devices show that the ozone layer is letting in twice as many UV rays as normal. In these last thirty year scientists believe the ozone layer has been depleted by two percent (Erratic 2). Many scientists have voices that extra radiation getting through to the earths surface may lead to problems further down the line. Scientists suggest th ...