Our atmosphere only tolerates certain wavelengths of light or photons. Photons are the amount of electromagnetic radiation a wave emits. Think of it as windows. These windows are opened for radio waves, infrared waves, visible light and barely UV rays. Now all of these have much lower frequencies than x-rays and gamma rays. The windows are closed for gamma and x-rays. The atmosphere blocks high frequencies and allows low frequencies to pass due to their wavelengths.

In other words, when a certain amount of photons or waves in an electromagnetic wave hits the atmosphere, they react with oxygen (O2) and create ozone (O3). Electromagnetic photons such as gamma, UV and X rays carry enough electromagnetic radiation in their waves to react with oxygen and create ozone. When the photons hit they “break apart diatomic oxygen” and create 2 free oxygen atoms. Afterwards, one of these free atoms combines with an oxygen molecule and creates ozone.

Here’s how it works:

Oxygen molecule = O2             Ozone = O3      Y= Photon

First: Y interacts with O2 and divides O2 into two free atoms.

Then: Oxygen atom + O2 = O3

 So they are actually not blocked but changed into another substance. In order for the chemical change to occur there has to be a certain amount of photons. Waves such as radio, infrared and visible light don’t carry enough photons to interact with oxygen so they don’t change. Their wavelengths are too long and the frequency is too low so they pass right in. However some UV rays do pass the surface, as they have shorter frequencies and longer wavelengths compared to X and gamma rays.