Why are small quantities of chlorofluorocarbons so harmful to the ozone layer? a. the chlorofluorocarbons act like ultraviolet radiation causing large amount of ozone to be produced. b. the chlorine from the chlorofluorocarbons reacts with free molecules of oxygen causing a stop in ozone production c. free oxygen atoms can replace the chlorine in chlorine monoxide, releasing a free atom of chlorine which can then recombine with an oxygen atom in ozone, destroying more ozone. d. chlorofluorocarbons absorb ultraviolet radiation, preventing the formation of ozone select the best answer from the choices provided

The answer to this is C.

CFC (F2CCl2) will decompose by release a chlorine atom. The free chlorine atom will bind to ozone to crear chlorine monoxide. The equation is

Cl + O3 —> ClO + O2

The ClO will then react with free oxygen molecules to create break the bond a form and other free oxygen molecule in this equation

ClO + O —> Cl + O2

The free chlorine atom can then come in contact with another ozone atom and continue the process which depletes more and more ozone. It’s said that one CFC can break 100,000 ozone molecules.

B is almost correct because chlorine does come from CFCs and stops ozone production but the free chlorine doesn’t react with free oxygen