> > pool clorine does not have a hidrogen atom floating it up into the upper atmosphere, where the clorine strips the third oxagen atom from the ozone. I agree that R22 should not be phazed out but knowing why the freon atacks the ozone would have censored your article to exclude pool clorine...
 

Dear Mr. Minnick:

I have noted with interest your desire to censor the article and delete the reference to pool chlorine products based on your belief that it "does not have a (sic) hidrogen atom floating it up into the upper atmosphere".

Please accept the following not as criticism or ridicule of your position but as an exposition of some basic chemical facts. I hope that these will let you see beyond the propaganda that is put out by certain interest groups.

1.) The presence or lack of hydrogen in a molecule is not a major factor in a molecule being floated into the upper atmosphere. A prime example is Carbon dioxide, it contains no Hydrogen, it weighs (atomic weight) more than Calcium (Ca = 40.08, CO2 = 43.9) and yet it is present in the upper atmosphere. Hmm... OK lets continue; Water is two Hydrogen atoms and one Oxygen atom (H 2O= 18) While it is present in the upper atmosphere most of it falls to the earth as precipitation (rain, snow and chunks of ice). OK... This is interesting and takes us to:

2.) Wind is what moves things around in the atmosphere. How strong can the wind be? Well, besides hurricanes and tornadoes there are winds in clouds that keep hailstones the size of soft balls aloft. Winds lift and keep aloft dust and gasses from volcanoes, airplane exhaust, industrial waste, gas from cattle (cow farts), windstorms etc. etc. etc. If it was not for the wind the atmosphere would seperate and layer with the heaviest gasses on the bottom. This begs ->...

3.) Gas? Liquid? Solid? Why things exist as one of the three phases (gas, liquid or solid) at Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP = 760 millimeters of mercury or one atmosphere of pressure and 20 degrees Celsius) is not dependent on Atomic weight alone. For example of the five lightest elements (Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium and Boron) only two are gasses at STP (Hydrogen and Helium). Carbon which is lighter than Nitrogen and Oxygen is a solid at STP (just look at a diamond) but combined with Oxygen (CO or CO2) it is a gas. Uranium the heaviest naturally occurring element can form a gas (Amazingly it is the difference in the diffusion rates of this gas that allows Uranium 235 to be separated from Uranium 238). Which brings us to Chlorine compounds that are put into swimming pools...

4.) Chlorine compounds are used as biocides in pool water to kill bacteria, algae, etc. etc. The chlorine compounds are solids at STP but quickly dissolve in water. Biocidal action is obtained as chlorine ions are liberated and attack the organisms living in the pool water killing them. If the chlorine compounds do not break down there will be no biocidal action. You have to keep adding chlorine to the pool because it keeps disassociating through know chemical pathways in the water and out gassing into the atmosphere were it can be washed out by rain but also wafted into the atmosphere including the upper atmosphere.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Richmond

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Related Pages:
    Similar page on Puron
    Another Link to a Freon Story
    Link to storry on Free Republic that links to this page.
    Link to a Freon Comment by a reader.
    Link to an even stronger comment by another reader.

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