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Ozone Layer

Definition

The ozone layer is a region in Earth's stratosphere that contains a high concentration of ozone (O3) molecules. It plays a crucial role in absorbing and filtering out most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation before it reaches the Earth's surface.

Analogy

Think of the ozone layer as a protective sunscreen for our planet. Just like how sunscreen shields our skin from harmful UV rays, the ozone layer acts as a shield for Earth, preventing excessive UV radiation from reaching us.

Related terms

Stratosphere: The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere.

Ozone Depletion: Ozone depletion refers to the thinning or reduction of the ozone layer due to human-made substances like CFCs.

UV Radiation: UV radiation stands for ultraviolet radiation, which is a type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun that can cause harm to living organisms.