Ozone is a special kind of oxygen. We breathe regular oxygen all the time, but ozone is different! It's a pale blue gas that's actually poisonous if you breathe it in directly. Think of it like this: regular oxygen is like the air you need to live, but ozone is like a strong medicine – a little bit is okay, but too much is bad for you.
Two Types of Ozone: Good Up High, Bad Nearby
There are two main places we talk about ozone:
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The Ozone Layer: High up in the atmosphere, ozone is a good thing! It forms a protective layer that acts like a sunscreen for the Earth. This layer shields us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can cause sunburn and other health problems. Think of it as a superhero protecting us from the sun's harmful rays! https://study.com/academy/lesson/ozone-layer-lesson-for-kids-definition-facts.html https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ozone-layer
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Ground-Level Ozone: Near the ground, ozone is a bad thing. It's a major part of air pollution, and breathing it in can cause coughing, wheezing, and other breathing problems. Children, older adults, and people with asthma are especially vulnerable to ground-level ozone. https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/health-effects-ozone-pollution https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-04/documents/20151001childrenhealthfs.pdf When the Air Quality Index (AQI) for ozone is high, it's best to stay indoors or limit outdoor activities. https://www.airnow.gov/education/students/aqi-for-ozone
In short: Ozone is a bit like a superhero with a grumpy twin. The superhero protects us from the sun, but the grumpy twin makes our air dirty.
