Chlorofluorocarbons rise to the atmosphere and ___________________.

Question

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Question restatement: Chlorofluorocarbons rise to the atmosphere and ___________________.

Option 1: 'interact with UV energy to produce free radicals that react with oxygen to create ozone.' This is incorrect because the typical atmospheric role of CFCs is to release chlorine radicals when exposed to UV light, which then participate in reactions that destroy ozone, not create it. The idea that they create ozone contradicts the well-established ozone depletion mechanism.

Option 2: 'interact with UV energy to produce free radicals that destroy ozone.' This is correct. When CFCs reach the stratosphere, UV radiation breaks them down and releases chlorine radicals. These free radicals catalytically destroy ozone molecules (O3), converting them into O2 and thus thinning the ozone layer. This aligns with the established chemistry of ozone depletion.

Option 3: 'react directly with stratospheric ozone to destroy it.' This is not accurate. The destruction of ozone is not a direct collision between CFCs and ozone; rather, it occurs via intermediate free radicals (like chlorine) produced from CFCs by UV light, which then catalytically destroy ozone molecules.

Option 4: 'react with free radicals to remove carbon dioxide.' This option is unrelated to the ozone depletion mechanism. CFCs do interact with UV light to release chlorine radicals that affect ozone, but there is no process described here where CFCs remove CO2 by reacting with other free radicals.

Summary: The key concept is that CFCs, upon UV exposure in the upper atmosphere, generate free radicals that catalytically destroy stratospheric ozone. The second option captures this mechanism, while the others misstate the direction of the reactions, the directness of the interaction, or introduce an unrelated process.

Chlorofluorocarbons rise to the atmosphere and ___________________.

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