Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Gazza
Well I never knew electric motors created Ozone! Nor that it eats rubber.
But is Ozone heavier or lighter than air? If there is a layer of it in the high atmosphere then I suspect the latter, in which case surely all the Ozone in my shed will be on the ceiling?
Darren, how much natural rubber is in a tyre?
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Brief chemistry lesson (yawn!)
Ozone (Oł) is heavier than air with a molecular weight of 48 compared to oxygen's 32 and nitrogen at 28.
Low level ozone, (the stuff close to the ground), is mostly created from sunlight reacting with exhaust gases and other pollutants. It is also produced by electrical discharges such as during a lightning strike and, in the case of the fridge or anything else with an electric motor (unless brushless), by the sparking within the motor.
The high level ozone that protects us from UV light is created up there by a reaction between cosmic rays and the oxygen in the upper atmosphere. Its height and other factors such as centrifugal force and air currents means that, although it's heavier than air, it doesn't fall down to earth.
While ozone does attack rubber, causing damage in the form of cracking, it's not really a problem with modern tyres as the rubber compound now contains protection in the form of antiozonants (think antioxidants but for ozone) and/or waxes.
So I wouldn't bother dragging the chest freezer out of the garage just yet.