Final answer:
Atomic halogens, particularly chlorine from CFCs, greatly accelerate ozone depletion, which has been mitigated to some extent by international agreements like the Montreal Protocol.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that atomic halogens greatly speed the rate of ozone destruction is true. Compounds that release chlorine, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and chlorocarbons, contribute to ozone depletion when they are exposed to UV radiation. This process occurs through a series of reactions that involve the generation of chlorine radicals, which then catalyze a chain reaction leading to the breakdown of ozone molecules.
For example, CFCs are broken apart by UV radiation, releasing chlorine atoms. The chlorine then reacts with ozone molecules in the stratosphere, resulting in a net removal of ozone. This cycle can be represented by the reaction CFC13 + hv → CFC1₂ + Cl, where hv represents a photon of light. One chlorine atom has the potential to destroy up to 100,000 ozone molecules. The impact of this destruction includes increased levels of UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface, which can lead to skin cancer, cataracts, and other environmental damage.
The international community has recognized the critical nature of this issue through the Montreal Protocol, which aims to phase out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs. This has led to some recovery of the ozone layer as the atmospheric concentrations of chlorine decrease. However, the continued presence of these substances in the atmosphere still poses a risk to the ozone layer.