Question

Assertion: The main reason for ozone layer depletion is believed to be the release of chlorofluorocarbon compounds known as freons.
Reason: CFCs are transporting agents for continuously generating chlorine radicals into the stratosphere.
(A) Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion
(B) Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion
(C) Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect
(D) Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect

Answer 1

Hint : To answer the above question, we need to be aware about the phenomenon of ozone layer depletion. Ozone layer is a layer of ${O_3}$ molecules present in the stratosphere of the earth’s atmosphere. This layer protects the earth from the effect of harmful UV rays that are released from the sun.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Although ozone ${O_3}$ depletion is unrelated to global warming, both of these environmental issues share a common cause: human activities that send chemicals into the atmosphere, causing it to change.
The loss of the protective ozone layer in the high atmosphere (stratosphere) over Earth's polar regions is referred to as a "ozone hole." Solar radiation currently reaching the Earth's surface harms people, plants, and animals living inside the ozone hole, causing health problems ranging from eye damage to skin cancer.
The main cause of ozone depletion is the continuous release of chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride, CFCs, and other chlorine into the atmosphere. In the presence of UV radiation, the compounds break down into chlorine radicals, which react with ozone to generate chlorine monoxide radicals. It then produces more chlorine radicals, resulting in ozone depletion.

Note :
CFCs bind to ice particles in clouds in the poles. The ice particles melt when the sun shines again in the Arctic spring, releasing ozone-depleting molecules from the ice particle surfaces. These ozone-depleting molecules conduct their dirty work once released, breaking up the chemical bonds in UV-absorbing ozone.