One contributor to the destruction of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is the reaction with jet fuel from high flying aircraft. The reaction occurs in the following two step pathway: Step 1: O3 + NO --> NO2 + O2 Step 2: NO2 + O --> NO + O2 The nitrogen dioxide is considered to be a(n)

The nitrogen dioxide is considered to be an intermediate.

Explanation:

The nitrogen dioxide is considered to be an intermediate.

The reaction occurs in the following two step pathway:

Step 1: ..[1]

Step 2: ..[2]

Over all reaction :

[1] + [2] :

The nitrogen dioxide is considered to be an intermediate because its serving as a product in reaction occurring in step 1 and reactant in in reaction occurring in step 2. Also it do not appear in overall reaction of the process.