What does ozone consist of?

Ozone is a molecule that consists of three oxygen atoms, represented chemically as O3. It forms when diatomic oxygen molecules (O2) undergo a photochemical reaction, often influenced by ultraviolet (UV) light. In the stratosphere, ozone plays a critical role in absorbing a significant amount of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, thereby protecting living organisms on Earth. This structure and composition make ozone distinct from other oxygen forms, such as diatomic oxygen (O2), which is the form of oxygen that we breathe, composed of only two oxygen atoms. The two other options, representing four and one oxygen atom respectively, do not accurately reflect the known molecular structure of ozone.