Why is the ozone layer in Antarctica significant?
A.
It is getting thinner, allowing more harmful ultraviolet rays to reach Earth.
B.
It is a valuable natural resource, but harvesting it could harm native wildlife.
C.
It exists nowhere else, so scientists must travel there to study its properties.
D.
It could grow dangerously large if climate change continues.
1. D It set Antarctica aside for scientific research.
2. D large, seasonal masses of ice that form and float on water
3. A It is getting thinner, allowing more harmful ultraviolet rays to reach Earth.
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To determine the significance of the ozone layer in Antarctica, we can analyze the given options.
Option A states that the ozone layer in Antarctica is getting thinner, which allows more harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays to reach Earth. This is correct. The significance of the ozone layer lies in its ability to absorb a portion of the sun's UV radiation, protecting life on Earth from the harmful effects of these rays. If the ozone layer in Antarctica becomes thinner, it will weaken its ability to absorb UV rays, leading to an increase in UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. This poses a significant risk to human health, as excessive UV exposure can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and harm marine ecosystems.
Option B suggests that the ozone layer is a valuable natural resource, but harvesting it could harm native wildlife. This statement is not accurate. The ozone layer itself is not a resource that can be harvested. Rather, it is a protective layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone molecules (O3). Therefore, option B is not the correct answer.
Option C claims that the ozone layer exists only in Antarctica, requiring scientists to travel there to study its properties. This is incorrect. The ozone layer is not exclusive to Antarctica but exists throughout the Earth's atmosphere. While it is true that Antarctica has a unique and well-known ozone depletion problem in the form of the ozone hole, this does not mean that the ozone layer only exists there. So, option C is not the correct answer.
Option D suggests that the ozone layer in Antarctica could grow dangerously large if climate change continues. This option is not valid because the ozone layer is not influenced by climate change. Climate change primarily refers to long-term shifts in temperature patterns, whereas the depletion of the ozone layer is caused by the release of ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Based on the reasoning above, the correct answer to the question "Why is the ozone layer in Antarctica significant?" is option A. The thinning of the ozone layer in Antarctica allows more harmful UV rays to reach the Earth, posing risks to human health and ecosystems.