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Question

Difficulty: EasyClimate Change, Global Warming and Ozone Layer Depletion

Which layer of Earth's atmosphere contains the natural ozone concentration responsible for absorbing the majority of harmful solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation?

  1. StratosphereAnswer
  2. B
    Troposphere
  3. C
    Mesosphere
  4. D
    Thermosphere

Answer

Stratosphere
The stratosphere contains about 90% of Earth's atmospheric ozone, forming the stratospheric ozone layer. This layer acts as a natural protective shield by filtering harmful solar ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation before it reaches the ground.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify atmospheric layers and ozone distribution
Ozone (O3O_3) is present in small amounts throughout the atmosphere, but its concentration peaks between 15 km and 35 km altitude.
Solar ultraviolet radiation breaks down oxygen molecules in this specific region, leading to ozone creation and equilibrium.
2
Match altitude range to the correct atmospheric layer
The region between ~10 km and 50 km above Earth's surface is the stratosphere.
The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs 97–99% of medium-frequency ultraviolet light from the Sun.

Key Concept

Stratospheric Ozone Layer
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Topics

Climate Change, Global Warming and Ozone Layer Depletion