... ozone.If we inhale three molecules of oxygen means inhaling 3O2 or can be called O6. And O6 also means 2 molecules of ozone which is harmful for us. And in the first case when we took three molecules of O2 it was useful for us How is it possible?
O2 is oxygen. So it has two atoms of oxygen. Now if we take O3 means three atoms of oxygen which is?
- Posted:
- 3+ months ago by dhirajchh...
- Topics:
- atom, oxygen
Details:
Responses (2)
O2 does not spontaneously turn into O3 as you suggest, there is a reaction which requires energy. it can be written like this:
3 O2 <=> 2 O3
The reaction can go both ways, to the right requires energy and to the left releases energy.
O2 is far more abundant in the atmosphere than ozone O3, in the upper atmosphere energy from the sun makes it possible for the reaction to shift a little bit to the right, therefore resulting in a slightly higher concentration than at the surface.
I feel that Mr. Orm provided a good answer to the question, but let me see if I can explain why O3 would could be harmful for people and animals to breath while O2 is remarkably beneficial. First, let me point out that 3O2 is not O6 and neither is 2O3. 3O2 is three molecules of oxygen, while 2O3 is two molecules of ozone. You may place any number in front of the molecular composition to indicate the number of molecules, but the numbers after the atoms (which should be written as subscripts) are determined by nature, or shall I say, by God. Atoms will not combine in nature in any which way. Mr. Orm pointed out that certain chemical reactions take place but not others. O2 does not convert to O3 in the body or vice versa, but this will happen in the atmosphere. There are electrons on atoms that determine what other elements the atoms attract. In the process of breathing (respiration), on a cellular level, oxygen will react with glucose and the result will be carbon dioxide, water, and energy. The chemical formula is
C6H12C6 + 6O2 --> 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
On paper it may seem that 6O2 would be the same as 4O3, but ozone will not react with glucose in the same manner as oxygen since ozone is a different compound with different electrons in its outer shell. Ozone is not good matter for respiration and can cause flare ups of asthma, while oxygen is necessary to breath, even though both elements are made up of the same type of atom.
It might be helpful to compare Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to Carbon Monoxide (CO) in a similar manner. Carbon monoxide wants to bond with hemoglobin (blood), and in doing so prevents oxygen from bonding with hemoglobin, so that oxygen is not carried through the body as needed in the presence of ample Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide can be fatal if inhaled, while Carbon Dioxide is naturally exhaled in small quantities. The second oxygen molecule makes CO2 it safer to breath, since it has bonded and there are not the same spare electrons to attract the hemoglobin. Carbon Dioxide in large quantities can also cause asthma flare ups and other respiratory illnesses, and is considered a pollutant, but it is far less dangerous than Carbon Monoxide. If you were to breath in Carbon Monoxide with Oxygen, the molecules would not react together to form a more benign Carbon Dioxide. Oxygen molecules are not very reactive. However Carbon Monoxide will react with hydroxyl radicals (OH) to form Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen, but they will do that in the atmosphere and not inside your body.
I asked how on one side 3 O2 is useful whereas 2 O3 means ozone is harmful. that was my question