Ozone depletion

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ozone-depletion

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What causes ozone depletion?Ozone depletion happens when chemicals called CFCs and halons reach the stratosphere and break apart under sunlight, releasing chlorine and bromine that destroy ozone molecules.
2. Why is the ozone layer important?The ozone layer blocks harmful UV‑B rays from the Sun, protecting our skin, eyes, plants, and the animals that depend on them.

Photodissociation: The breakdown of molecules by light energy, a key step in releasing reactive halogens in the stratosphere.
Ozone Hole: A severe springtime thinning of the ozone layer, most pronounced over Earth's polar regions.
Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS): Manufactured chemicals, primarily halocarbons like CFCs and halons, that destroy stratospheric ozone.
Multilateral Fund: A financial mechanism established by the Montreal Protocol to help developing countries meet their obligations.