Refrigerators and CFCs
Provided by: MIT OpenCourseWare|Published on: November 15, 2022|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 11, 12, AP
Type: Videos
Subjects: Chemistry
Authors: Professor Jeffrey Grossman
Location: Earth
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this video, students will learn about the ability of CFCs to destroy ozone molecules in our upper atmosphere.
- The video discusses the historic use of CFCs, the chemical equations associated with ozone depletion, and the Montreal Protocol.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The video builds connections between chemistry, history, and civics.
- Professor Grossman highlights the essential role public policy and global coordination played in solving the ozone depletion crisis.
Additional Prerequisites
- The video and transcript are available to download.
- Some content presented is copyrighted and is not in the public domain or CC licensed.
- Students should already be familiar with absorption lines, the Bohr model, and writing chemical equations.
Differentiation
- This resource is best suited for use in AP, IB, or college chemistry courses and will need additional context or materials to support student learning.
- This video can be used after learning about degradation reactions, catalytic cycles, absorption lines, and/or the Bohr model to illustrate the importance of these topics with a real-world application.
- Teachers will likely need to explain concepts beyond what is presented in the video, especially for the chemical equations and the solar radiation spectrum. Consider playing the video multiple times so students can process the information and identify questions they still have.
This video on solid-state chemistry introduces students to understand the effects of CFCs on stratospheric ozone. This ozone protects humans from harmful UV radiation and limits the possibility of skin cancer. When an electron absorbs energy, it becomes radical, free and breaks away, thus allowing ozone to absorb a significant proportion of UV radiation on the Earth's surface. The ban on CFCs from the Montreal protocol prevented the depletion of the ozone layer. Although, this resource is recommended for teaching, it requires additional materials or module to further explain the topic for students' comprehension.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
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