Ozone in the air of some polluted areas is considered bad for peoples health. How can some ozone be bad for our health and some be good for our health?
Ozone is a very aggressive chemical that eats away at (chemically reacts with) many other chemicals. Unfortunately, if we breathe ozone, it eats away at the protective mucous in our nose, eyes, and throat. This can give us head aches, make it hard to breathe, and be very irritating. For this reason ozone in the air we breathe is bad for our health. On the other hand, ozone way above our head in the stratosphere is good because it provides a shield from harmful radiation from the sun, by absorbing that radiation before it reaches the ground.
