How come CFC's affect the ozone.

[yassa]

if 'CFC' is an inert gas which means inactive and is heavier than air, how does it affect the ozone layer which is a couple of miles up in the air?

[jake-the-peg]

Ultra-violet light liberates Chlorine from them in free radicals and this breaks up Ozone. ( I won't say catalyses because last time I did there was a very long and complex discussion about whether or not it was a true catalytic reaction).

Have a look here anyway:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_Depletion


As for getting up there, there is a complicated climatic set of circumstances that is particularly prevalent over the South Pole. This forms a polar vortex in which ozone depletion is most pronounced:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_vortex

[yassa]

Thakes Jake, the second bit i understand and it also answers my 'why over the pole?' question as well. The first i sort of get it. Thanks.

[xoxHELPMExox]

well, they just travel up and join onto the greenhouse gases layer and rip a hole in the o-zone layer

[lord molly]

if a gas is inert, it does not mean that it is heavyer than air. helium is inert, but we all know that it i lighter than air.

[yassa]

But cfc's are heavier than air.