Question
The “ozone hole,” or area of intense depletion of stratospheric ozone, has been observed over Antarctica since the 1980s. The following statements attempt to explain some of the reasons why stratospheric ozone depletion is less intense in the Arctic than in Antarctica. Which one of the statements is incorrect?
Group of answer choices
The northern polar vortex is not as well-defined as the southern polar vortex.
CFCs and other ozone-depleting chemicals are selectively concentrated in the stratosphere over Antarctica.
Tiny ice crystals in stratospheric clouds over Antarctica serve as nucleation sites for ozone-depleting reactions.
The stratosphere over Antarctica is extremely cold - colder than the Arctic stratosphere.
The southern polar vortex serves to hold extremely cold air over the South Pole; this effect is not as strong over the North Pole.
Group of answer choices
The northern polar vortex is not as well-defined as the southern polar vortex.
CFCs and other ozone-depleting chemicals are selectively concentrated in the stratosphere over Antarctica.
Tiny ice crystals in stratospheric clouds over Antarctica serve as nucleation sites for ozone-depleting reactions.
The stratosphere over Antarctica is extremely cold - colder than the Arctic stratosphere.
The southern polar vortex serves to hold extremely cold air over the South Pole; this effect is not as strong over the North Pole.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The statement that is incorrect is:
**CFCs and other ozone-depleting chemicals are selectively concentrated in the stratosphere over Antarctica.**
This statement is misleading. While there are high concentrations of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) like CFCs in the stratosphere over both poles, the unique conditions and chemical reactions that occur in the Antarctic stratosphere (such as the presence of polar stratospheric clouds) are primarily responsible for the greater intensity of ozone depletion observed there, rather than the selective concentration of CFCs specifically in that region. The presence of polar stratospheric clouds, which form at extremely low temperatures, plays a critical role in the chemical reactions that lead to ozone depletion in Antarctica.
The other statements correctly highlight aspects that contribute to the differences in ozone depletion between the Arctic and Antarctic.
**CFCs and other ozone-depleting chemicals are selectively concentrated in the stratosphere over Antarctica.**
This statement is misleading. While there are high concentrations of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) like CFCs in the stratosphere over both poles, the unique conditions and chemical reactions that occur in the Antarctic stratosphere (such as the presence of polar stratospheric clouds) are primarily responsible for the greater intensity of ozone depletion observed there, rather than the selective concentration of CFCs specifically in that region. The presence of polar stratospheric clouds, which form at extremely low temperatures, plays a critical role in the chemical reactions that lead to ozone depletion in Antarctica.
The other statements correctly highlight aspects that contribute to the differences in ozone depletion between the Arctic and Antarctic.