It is broken down when an ozone molecule absorbs ultraviolet light in the 290-320nm range.
It can also be broken if an oxygen atom reacts with an ozone molecule. The result is two diatomic oxygen molecules.
And how is it broken down?
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This reaction happens at these high levels in the atmosphere because this is where the most ultraviolet light is present. The ultraviolet light comes from the sun.
These individual oxygen atoms (O) are very reactive, and so join with a diatomic oxygen molecule (O2) to form ozone (O3)
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There are O2 molecules floating in the stratosphere. When ultraviolet light hits one of those molecules, the oxygen molecule is broken into two oxygen atoms.
But how is it formed?
High up in the Earth's atomesphere, between about 12 and 50 km above the ground, is a layer of the gas ozone.
Ozone Depletion
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