Chloroflourocarbons photodissociate to produce chlorine atom

Chloroflourocarbons photodissociate to produce chlorine atoms, Cl; which have been implicated in decreasing the concentration of ozone, O3, in the stratosphere. The decompositon of the ozone follows the reaction sequence of: O3 + Cl yields CLO +O2 and CLO + O yields CL + O2. What role (factor affecting reaction rates) do chlorine atoms have in increasing the depletion rate of ozone?

Solution

In the decomposition of ozone in the stratosphere, Cl. atoms play a major role.

It decomposes oxone by forming ClO. radical and O2 molecule in a chain like fashion and thus help reduce O3.

This is a catalytic process and Cl. radical acts as the catalyst in the reaction.