The ozone layer primarily serves to protect life on Earth by absorbing the majority of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Here’s a brief overview of its key effects:
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UV Radiation Shielding: The ozone layer absorbs about 97-99% of the sun's harmful UV rays, particularly UV-B and UV-C types. By filtering out these radiation types, it helps to prevent skin cancer, cataracts, and other health issues in humans as well as protecting ecosystems, wildlife, and plant life.
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Climate Regulation: While the ozone layer itself does not directly trap heat, it plays a role in the Earth's temperature and climate by influencing weather patterns and the distribution of sunlight. The presence of ozone in the stratosphere helps to maintain temperature gradients that are critical for weather systems.
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Overall Atmospheric Stability: The ozone layer contributes to the stability of the Earth's atmosphere by helping to define the temperature structure in the upper atmosphere, which can affect various meteorological phenomena and patterns.
In summary, while the ozone layer is not responsible for trapping heat the way greenhouse gases do, it plays a crucial role in protecting life and maintaining the stability of the Earth's atmosphere.
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