What is Ozone?

Ozone (O3), a 3-atom form of oxygen, is a normal trace element in the earth's atmosphere. Ozone is a different chemical than the common oxygen (O2) that supports life on our planet. Like many substances, ozone is beneficial to life and to man, but can also be harmful in excessive concentrations. Ozone is created naturally by the action of the sun on oxygen, but is also created by man as a byproduct of processes such as combustion, power generation and operation of common appliances like sunlamps, copy machines, or electric hair dryers.