Which list puts the refrigerant families in order from highest to lowest ozone depletion potential?
Environmental impacts · EPA 608 Core. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
How CFCs and HCFCs destroy stratospheric ozone, and what that does to health and the environment.
The question
Which list puts the refrigerant families in order from highest to lowest ozone depletion potential?
- HCFC, CFC, HFC
- HFC, HCFC, CFC
- CFC, HCFC, HFCCorrect answer
- CFC, HFC, HCFC
Why “CFC, HCFC, HFC” is correct
CFCs carry the most chlorine to the stratosphere and have the highest ODP. HCFCs have far lower ODPs (about 0.01 to 0.1) because much of each molecule breaks down lower in the atmosphere. HFCs contain no chlorine and have an ODP of zero.
Source: EPA: Test Topics
Why the other answers are wrong
- HCFC, CFC, HFC — CFCs, not HCFCs, have the highest ODP.
- HFC, HCFC, CFC — This is the order reversed; HFCs are lowest at zero.
- CFC, HFC, HCFC — HFCs have zero ODP, so they cannot sit above HCFCs.
Practice more of this
More EPA 608 Core practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.
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