Ozone is created by which natural phenomenon?

Ozone is created primarily through the interaction of sunlight with oxygen molecules in the atmosphere. When ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun strike oxygen molecules (O2), they cause the molecules to split into individual oxygen atoms. These free oxygen atoms can then react with other oxygen molecules to form ozone (O3). This process reflects the natural formation of ozone in the stratosphere, where it plays a crucial role in protecting the Earth from harmful UV radiation.

While wind, rain, and electricity have various environmental impacts and can influence atmospheric conditions, they do not directly create ozone in the same way that sunlight does. Wind may disperse ozone but does not facilitate its formation, rain typically involves water vapor but not ozone synthesis, and electricity might play a minor role in generating ozone during events like lightning but is not a primary driver of ozone production. Thus, the role of sunlight as a critical catalyst in forming ozone makes it the correct answer.