Question

Which of the following describes a negative effect of substituting hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in an effort to reduce ozone depletion?

A. Hydrofluorocarbons are prohibitively expensive to produce and are not widely used in industry.
B. Some type of hydrofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.
C. Hydrofluorocarbons can interact with NOxNOx and VOCsVOCs in the troposphere to produce photochemical smog.
D. High levels of hydrofluorocarbons in the stratosphere can lead to physiological stress and decreased growth in plants.

Answer 1

Substituting HCFCs for CFCs reduces ozone depletion but can lead to increased greenhouse gases, which might cause physiological stress and decreased growth in plants.

Step-by-step explanation:

One negative effect of substituting hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in an effort to reduce ozone depletion is that high levels of hydrofluorocarbons in the stratosphere can lead to physiological stress and decrease growth in plants. While HCFCs are considered a more benign alternative to CFCs because they contain fewer chlorine and bromine atoms, which are responsible for breaking down the ozone layer, they are not completely free of environmental impacts.

HCFCs break down more readily in the troposphere, reducing the number that reaches the stratosphere, thus lessening their potential to deplete the ozone. However, they do have global warming potential and can contribute to greenhouse gas accumulation. This creates a new set of challenges, as an increase in greenhouse gases can disturb climates and indirectly affect plant growth. Tackling ozone depletion effectively requires careful consideration of the substitutes used to ensure that one environmental problem is not replaced with another.