Chemistry
(a) Account for the existence of radicals in the atmosphere.
(b) How are they produced in the atmosphere?
(c) What is the role of radicals in the atmosphere?
Chemical Reaction
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Answer
(a) The major radicals present in the atmosphere are:
(i) Hydroxyl radical (OH●): It is also called as detergent of the atmosphere because it helps in removing air pollutants like methane, carbon monoxide and other harmful gases.
(ii) Nitrate radical (NO3●): It converts harmful gases into forms that can be washed out by rain.
(iii) Chlorine radical (Cl●): It is released from chlorofluorocarbons and reacts to destroy ozone layer.
(b) Atmospheric radicals are formed when stable molecules absorb energy, mainly from sunlight, and their chemical bonds break. This process produces highly reactive species with unpaired electron.
(c) Atmospheric radicals play a crucial role in both cleaning the atmosphere and influencing important environmental processes.
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