Gas consisting of three atoms of oxygen (O
3), which is therefore an allotrope of oxygen. It is formed when the molecule of the stable form of oxygen (O
2) is split by ultraviolet radiation or electrical discharge. It forms the
ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, which protects life on Earth from ultraviolet rays, a cause of skin cancer.
Ozone is a highly reactive pale-blue gas with a penetrating odour.
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