Ozone Gas | Properties | Uses | and Facts

Properties Uses and Facts about Ozone Gas

What is Ozone Gas

Ozone is a gas, it is neither an element nor a compound. Ozone is a molecule made up of three atoms of oxygen, it is an allotrope of oxygen, its chemical formula is O3. This gas is found naturally in the Earth's atmosphere, and it can also be made artificially. The ozone found in the Earth's atmosphere is called stratospheric ozone. It is formed naturally by the interaction of ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the Sun with oxygen (O2). The ozone layer, present about 6 to 30 miles above the Earth's surface, reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation that reaches the Earth's surface.

Ozone Gas Properties Uses and Facts

Properties of Ozone Gas

• Ozone is a pale blue colored gas with a pungent odor similar to that of burning metal wire.
• Ozone gas has a density of 2.140 kg per cubic meter, so it is a heavier gas than normal air.
• Its melting point is -192 degree Celsius.
• Its boiling point is -112 degree Celsius.
• Ozone gas is chemically very active gas.
• Ozone is a strong oxidizing gas.
• It is sparingly soluble in water.
• Ozone is an unstable gas, its half-life is 20 minutes in water, while its half-life in air is between 1 hour and 4 hours, after which it breaks down and converts back to oxygen.
• The process of conversion of ozone gas to oxygen is exothermic.
• Ozone gas collected in high concentration is extremely dangerous and explosive.
• Ozone gas can discolour many substances it comes in contact with.
• It is a toxic gas.

Uses of Ozone Gas

• The ozone gas present in the atmosphere prevents the ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun, due to which the organisms living on the earth are saved from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.
• Ozone gas is used to purify the air.
• As a strong disinfectant it is used to disinfect drinking water as well as to remove objectionable odors and tastes from water.
• Ozone is used commercially as a bleaching agent for organic compounds.
• Ozone is also used to prevent wound infections and kill fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
• Ozone therapy is used to strengthen our body's immune system and stimulate white blood cells, but there is not enough clinical evidence regarding its effectiveness.

Health effects of Ozone Gas

• Under certain circumstances, photochemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in the lower atmosphere can produce ozone gas in large quantities, which can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes.
• Breathing in ozone gas is harmful, this gas goes into the lungs and chemically reacts with the lung cells and destroys them, which destroys the oxygen absorbing capacity of the lungs.
• Breathing in ozone gas can cause symptoms such as chest pain, cough, shortness of breath and throat irritation, which can be more severe in people with asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Detailed Information on Some other Gases

• Hydrogen Properties Uses and Other Details
• Phosphine (PH3) Properties Uses and other information
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