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Correct! Ozone is the gas that forms a protective layer in the stratosphere shielding the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. This gas is harmful however in the troposphere, the part of the atmosphere that starts at the surface of the earth and extends about 8 miles (13 km) high. It is a form of oxygen that consists of three atoms, in contrast to normal atmospheric oxygen, which consists of two atoms. Ozone is very reactive and damages living tissue. It is also a greenhouse gas causing global climate change. Ozone occurs naturally in the troposphere but it is also a product of human activity. While is not directly produced by industrial operations and car engines, it is formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides emitted from cars and industrial production react with one another under sunlight. Ozone is a byproduct of the electro-photographic process and you can "smell" it when your laser printer operates. Ozone is also produced by electrical discharge (e.g. a lightning strike).
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