Free radicals are atoms or molecules which are disassociated with unpaired electrons. Atomic oxygen which forms ozone as mentioned previously is a free radical. The unpaired electrons make radicals highly reactive. They are formed when convalent bonds split homolytically. In the atmosphere this splitting is caused by high frequency ultraviolet light.
Radicals are the molecules which remove ozone from the atmosphere.
O3 + Cl → O2 + ClO
O3 + HO → O2 + HO2
O3 + NO → O2 + NO2
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