Chlorofluorocarbons are major depletor of ozone layer in stratosphere . They split to release chlorine. One atom of chlorine converts how many molecules of ozone into oxygen ?

Options

A. 1 lakh
B. 2
C. 40
D. 1 million

Answer

To solve the question regarding how many molecules of ozone one atom of chlorine can convert into oxygen, we can break it down into the following steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)**:
- CFCs are compounds that release chlorine atoms when they break down in the stratosphere. These chlorine atoms are responsible for ozone depletion.

2. **Ozone Layer and Its Importance**:
- The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere, protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Ozone (O₃) is a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms.

3. **Chlorine's Role in Ozone Depletion**:
- When a chlorine atom is released from a CFC, it can react with an ozone molecule. The reaction can be summarized as follows:
- Cl + O₃ → ClO + O₂
- Here, one chlorine atom reacts with one ozone molecule to produce one chlorine monoxide (ClO) molecule and one oxygen (O₂) molecule.

4. **Recycling of Chlorine**:
- The chlorine monoxide (ClO) can further react with another oxygen atom:
- ClO + O → Cl + O₂
- In this reaction, the chlorine atom is regenerated and can continue to react with more ozone molecules.

5. **Calculating the Total Ozone Depletion**:
- From the above reactions, we see that one chlorine atom can destroy multiple ozone molecules. Specifically, one chlorine atom can convert one ozone molecule into oxygen and then regenerate itself to react with another ozone molecule.
- This process can repeat many times. It is estimated that one chlorine atom can destroy about 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere.

6. **Final Answer**:
- Therefore, the answer to the question is that one atom of chlorine can convert approximately **100,000 molecules of ozone into oxygen**.

### Conclusion:
The correct answer to the question is **1 lakh (100,000)**.

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