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Chemistry · Glossary

What is Chapman mechanism, ozone layer?

Also known as: Chapman mechanism · ozone layer

Definition 14.13 University Chemistry — Year 3 · Chapter 14 — Photochemistry

The Chapman mechanism is the set of four steps

OX2→hν2 O (j1),O+O2+M→O3+M (k2),OX3→hνOX2+O (j3),O+OX3→2 OX2 (k4).\ce{O2 ->[h\nu] 2 O}\ (j_1), \quad \mathrm{O + O_2 + M \to O_3 + M}\ (k_2), \quad \ce{O3 ->[h\nu] O2 + O}\ (j_3), \quad \ce{O + O3 -> 2 O2}\ (k_4).

The ozone layer is the region of the stratosphere, about 15 to 35 km35\,\mathrm{km} above the ground, where these reactions maintain the largest concentrations of ozone.

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