Ozone Depletion
Atmospheric ozone layer depletion is a serious problem currently facing the world. The ozone layer protects humans, animals, and plants from harmful ultraviolet rays. Money and time are being spent on ozone repair, but the problem still exists.
The ozone layer is a region of the stratosphere containing ozone, or O3 gas. The ozone layer is essential to both plant and animal life on earth because it protects the surface from dangerous ultraviolet light.
However, industrial and domestic chemicals that are currently in use have been found to destroy ozone, and the problem has escalated to an ozone layer "hole" above Antarctica. Ozone levels there are 40 percent below normal, and there may be another ozone hole forming above the Arctic region.1
Ozone gas contains an extraneous oxygen atom in each molecule and is highly unstable. This property lets ozone block out ultraviolet rays and makes it an essential part of the eco-system. When harmful ultraviolet-B rays (wavelength 240-320 NM) come through the atmosphere, the O3 molecules absorb the energy and one oxygen atom detaches from the molecule. The stray atom will eventually collide with another O2 molecule and ozone will be reformed. With this process, the level of ozone remains constant, as it has for millions of years.3
Recently, a number of chemicals have been found to aid in the rapid destruction of ozone. Most of these chemicals are compounds called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC’s. It is difficult to ban them outright because they have hundreds of industrial uses. CFC’s are widely used because they are non-toxic, non-flammable, and inexpensive. Recent environmental legislation on both the state and national levels has banned the use of some CFC’s, but the question of their disposal still remains.4
Chlorofluorocarbons do not destroy ozone directly. Compounds made from CFC’s photo-decay series act as catalysts in the splitting of O3 molecules. When CFC’s reach the stratosphere, they break down when struck by the intense light rays. The molecule splits and a majority of the chlorine then forms hydrogen chloride or chlorine nitrate, which then decay into atomic chlorine or chlorine monoxide.3
These are the substances responsible for the physical destruction of ozone. As they come in contact with an ozone molecule, they cause the third oxygen atom to detach and form an O2...
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...cturing technology can be implemented, aerogels will remain experimental.6
There is no obvious solution to the ozone layer problem. It has been estimated that if CFC production ceased today, people living 70 years from now would still have to deal with their effects. Also, conflicts between industrialists and environmentalists in government have prevented sufficient CFC-blocking legislation from being fully effective. If the ozone layer can be repaired, it will take a massive effort by the people and government to make it successful.
References
1 Zurer, Pamela. "Record Low Ozone Levels Observed over Arctic." Chemical and Engineering News 10 Apr. 1995: 8-9.
2 Davies, Owen. "Air Repair." Omni June 1993: 62+.
3 "Ozone Depletion FAQ." Online. Internet. Available http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/ faq/usenet/ozone-depletion/top.html.
4 "Ozone Layer." Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Microsoft. 1996
5 Zurer, Pamela. "EPA Lists Acceptable Substitutes for CFCs." Chemical and Engineering News 3 May. 1993: 9-10.
6 Cook, Brian M. "Insulating the Environment: Will a ‘New’ 61-Year-Old Material Solve the CFC Problem?" Industry Week 6 July 1992: 59.
The ozone layer is the one that protects living things from the pure ultraviolet rays of the sun.
In the late nineteenth century known as the Gilded Age (or the Reconstruction period) and the early twentieth century known as the Progressive era, the nation went through great economic growth and social change. Beginning from the 1870s, there was rapid growth in innovations and big businesses. This could be because there was population growth and when there is population growth, there is a high demand of products and other necessities in order to strive in society. Many immigrants from Europe, mostly from the eastern and southern Europe, and Asia moved to American cities. Additionally, farmers from rural America desired to increase economically in society and since corporations ruled and political problems occurred, they decided to move into the cities. Afterwards, the 1900s started with the dominance of progressivism which many Americans tried to improve and solve the problems that were caused or had arisen because of the industrialization of the Gilded Age. It was basically the time when progressives fought for legislations like regulation of big businesses, end of the political corruption, and protection of the rights of the people: the poor, immigrants, workers, and consumers. Thus, between the periods 1870 to 1920, big businesses had arisen and taken control of the political and economic systems through corruption and innovations. In response, American citizens reacted negatively and formed labor unions and political systems to diminish the power that large corporations had in America.
When most people think of sleep, they think of it as a relaxed but yet not a very important part of our daily lives. What most people don’t understand is although we are not up and moving around and getting tasks completed, our brains are still very active. Without sleep our bodies do not function correctly on a daily basis, and our mental state is at risk.
Between 1870 and 1900 (The Gilded Age), the economy had a major boom. The United States went from “Lincoln’s America- a world centered on the small farm and artisan workshop- to a mature industrial society.” By 1913, America produced about one- third of the world’s industrial productivity. With the new upgrades, like the railroad and the industrial companies the economy was flourishing with the growing supply of labor, immigrants. The new industrial economy came with a price. The politics was ill equipped to handle the problems that came with the rapid growth of the economy. The Democrats were not for high tariff but the party remained closely linked to New York bankers and having nothing to do with the debt-ridden agricultural areas. While on the other hand, the Republicans favored the eastern industrialist and bankers also putting the farmer in the Southwest at a disadvantage.
Many say it is unrealistic of a person to believe their is a God when so many horrendous things happen everyday, Milton uses Paradise Lost to teach the principle that human beings have their own free will and can make decisions for themselves. The pur...
The brain is the most important organ in the body and without it life would not exist. In a metaphorical sense, the brain can be thought of as a master computer. Functions of the brain include physical behavior, emotion, learning capability and memory. Since the beginning of scientific exploration, the brain has been a significant area of interest and its complexity still puzzles scientists today. New research methods and advances in technology have allowed humans to understand more about the brain within the past 10 years than in the preceding centuries (Brain Basics, 2013.) Research on the role of sleep in brain functionality shows surprising promise. The amount and quality of sleep an individual receives effects learning ability and the risk of developing brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Sleep is crucial to lead a very happy and healthy life. Without sleep, people can become less focused and are constantly tired during waking life. “Sufficient sleep is increasingly being recognized as an essential aspect of chronic disease prevention and health promotion” (Are You Getting Enough Sleep?). To fight threatening diseases and to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a good night’s sleep is number one on the to-do list. However, most people think they have more important things to do other than lie down and rest, but sleep is essential to a healthy life. Putting down a distraction and going to bed is quite difficult to do, but people need a good quality and quantity amount of sleep each night. “Sleep affects mentality, creativity, physical vitality, and healthy weight. It is also not just the quantity of sleep you get, but the quality of sleep you really have to pay attention to. ” A large amount of people try to sleep as little as possible. There are too many factors at play that people would rather be doing, but sleep is just as important for happiness and good health as exercise and nutrition are (How Much Sleep Do You Need?). Lack of sleep causes mental and physica...
Sleep deprivation is a commonplace occurrence in modern culture. Every day there seems to be twice as much work and half as much time to complete it in. This results in either extended periods of wakefulness or a decrease in sleep over an extended period of time. While some people may like to believe that they can train their bodies to not require as much sleep as they once did this belief is false (1). Sleep is needed to regenerate certain parts of the body, especially the brain, so that it may continue to function optimally. After periods of extended wakefulness or reduced sleep neurons may begin to malfunction, visibly effecting a person's behavior. Some organs, such as muscles, are able to regenerate even when a person is not sleeping so long as they are resting. This could involve lying awake but relaxed within a quite environment. Even though cognitive functions might not seem necessary in this scenario the brain, especially the cerebral cortex, is not able to rest but rather remains semi-alert in a state of "quiet readiness" (2). Certain stages of sleep are needed for the regeneration of neurons within the cerebral cortex while other stages of sleep seem to be used for forming new memories and generating new synaptic connections. The effects of sleep deprivation on behavior have been tested with relation to the presence of activity in different sections of the cerebral cortex.
Each night, the average person spends approximately 7-9 hours giving their bodies a restful vacation in the land of dreams. Considering this, we spend 1/3 (or 25 years) of our entire lives engaging in this idle activity. Although these numbers can appear as a waste of time in our every day lives, sleeping and/or napping is the energy that helps fuel our bodies to function correctly. Sleep is a necessary function in our every day routine in order to make our brains function at the most efficient level. As we sleep, the brain helps us to recuperate and regain strength by “restoring and repairing the brain tissue” (Myers, 2010, p 99). Without this reviving process, we would all eventually deteriorate. By impairing the sleep deprived mentally and physically, it can potentially cause serious harm. We must fade our conscious mind, and let our mind relax within subconscious state.
Sleep is an integral part of life, but differs from other states of reduced consciousness in that the brain is still somewhat active. Sleep is an “altered state of consciousness, [with the sleeper losing] substantial contact with the external world.” (Gazzaniga, M., & Heatherton, T., 2016). Nonetheless, brain activity has an extensive role in the creation of “sleep”, generating two distinct types - slow-wave sleep, also referred to as deep sleep, and rapid eye movement, also called the dreaming stage. Comprised of five stages, sleep is a complex state of mind, also consisting of patterns known as circadian rhythms. Operating as a behavior, sleep alters to suit our bodily needs, and informs us of such needs through an intricate network of nerves. Furthermore, without obtaining an ideal amount of sleep, problems can arise that may affect one’s wellbeing. Detailed research and studies previously conducted on the subject of sleep allows the accumulation of information to be
Sleep is necessary to function in everyday life. Without sleep, humans become impaired, and simple day-to-day activities become harder to do. Sleep deprivation is increasing steadily among the human population as some humans strive to prolong the time that they are awake believing that sleeping is a waste of time. However, studies show that sleep is necessary for the body to process the information taken in that day and store that information. Sleep deprivation has several effects on the human body, and not only can it impair our ability to learn and retain information, it also increases our risk for attaining certain diseases and health problems. It is a common misconception that naps can set back the effects of sleep deprivation. However,
In 1970, Crutzen first showed that nitrogen oxides produced by decaying nitrous oxide from soil-borne microbes react catalytically with ozone hastening its depletion. His findings started research on "global biogeochemical cycles" as well as the effects of supersonic transport aircraft that release nitrogen oxide into the stratosphere.2 In 1974, Molina and Rowland found that human-made chlorofluorocarbons used for making foam, cleaning fluids, refrigerants, and repellents transform into ozone-depleting agents.3 Chlorofluorocarbons stay in the atmosphere for several decades due to their long tropospheric lifetimes. These compounds are carried into the stratosphere where they undergo hundreds of catalytic cycles with ozone.4 They are broken down into chlorine atoms by ultraviolet radiation.5 Chlorine acts as the catalyst for breaking down atomic oxygen and molecular ozone into two molecules of molecular oxygen.
The atmosphere is an open system that consists of a gaseous mixture enveloping a planet (Answers.com). These gasses, known as air, include O2, N2 and H2O. The atmosphere is also composed of water, ice and dust particles. Atmosphere functions like a blanket, keeping Earth's heat from escaping into space (Lenkeit). It has also been compared to a greenhouse: like glass it lets short wave insulation inside, but keeps most of long wave ground radiation from going out (Lenkeit).
society today. The CFC cans used to be a serious problem to the ozone layer,
Everyone sleeps. While humans sleep, they do not procreate, protect, or nurture their young, gather food, earn money, write papers, etc. Surely, at least once, most people have wondered why they sleep in spite of these disadvantages. According to Greier (48), it is hard for scientists to answer the seemingly simple question of what, exactly, sleep is good for. Sleep occupies one-third of humans' lives, which seems like a waste of precious time; however, no one can survive without sleep. According to Shelton (5), sleepy drivers in the U.S. cause approximately 56,000 car accidents every year. Also, Wolfson and Carskadon (875) report interestingly that the students who achieve good grades sleep longer than the students who are struggling or failing in school. Furthermore, the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, the near meltdown at Three Mile Island, the environmentally disastrous oil spill by the Exxon Valdez, and the loss of the space shuttle Challenger were all caused by people who made mistakes because of too little sleep (Coren 1). Sleep deprivation seems to cause detrimental effects to humans' daily lives.