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High energy solar radiation splits oxygen gas into reactive free atomic oxygen. The figure is taken from NOAA, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Ultraviolet light creates ozone in the upper atmosphere

High energy solar radiation splits oxygen gas into reactive free atomic oxygen

Atmospheric ozone forms in the stratosphere when shortwave solar ultraviolet radiation strikes diatomic oxygen molecules, splitting them into single oxygen atoms. These reactive atomic oxygen radicals instantly combine with intact oxygen molecules to form ozone (O3). This dynamic ozone layer absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays before they reach the surface.

Ozone Hole Continues Healing in 2024 (153523) — NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using data courtesy of NASA Ozone Watch and GEOS-5 data from the Global · Public domain · source

Where this comes from

NOAA

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Tags: chemistry, ozone, atmosphere

Ultraviolet light creates ozone in the upper atmosphere: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: High energy solar radiation splits oxygen gas into reactive free atomic oxygen. The figure is taken from NOAA, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a science fact?: Yes. It sits on the Science shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.