Aerosols

Question 1

What are aerosols?

Answer 1

Aerosols are a collection of solid and liquid particles suspended in gas.
Aerosols= gas + particles (solid or liquid).

Question 2

How many types of Aerosols are there ?name them .

Answer 2

Aerosols are derived from two main sources. Natural sources and anthropogenic sources.

Question 3

Mention some natural sources of aerosols

Answer 3

Mineral dust , sea salt, volcanoes, biological aerosols(fungi,pollen) ,gas to particle conversion, photo chemical smog( results from chemical reactions involving sunlight,air pollutants and natural emissions )

Question 4

Mention some anthropogenic sources of aerosols

Answer 4

Direct emissions, gas to particle conversion,photochemical smog, biomass burning.

Question 5

What is there to. It about the different types of aerosols.

Answer 5

The quantity of aerosols produced naturally is way more than that produced through anthropogenic activities.

Question 6

What is there to note about smaller particles in the atmosphere?

Answer 6

Smaller particles in the atmosphere always diffuse quickly.

Question 7

Why do particles of dimension 10 micrometer tend to linger ?

Answer 7

Particles larger than that sediment because of gravity and their weight. While these ones try to settle down they are not as heavy and so atmospheric turbulence and chemical interactions keep them lingering longer .

Question 8

What do aerosols do ?

Answer 8

They impact climate globally.
Regionally they can change the climate
They impact visibility
They influence cloud properties and precipitation
Reduce air quality

Question 9

What are some of the effects of anthropogenic emissions on clouds?

Answer 9

These emissions result in high particle concentration which then result many small cloud drops being formed which results in the cloud appearing whiter.
These does not occur in healthy air conditions.

Question 10

Particle matter and human health.

Answer 10

Bigger particle masses (PM10)do not go into the lunch’s because of their sizes they are deposited in the throat and eliminated through coughing.

Smaller particle masses (PM 2.5) which are also quite notorious diffuse quickly before reaching the lungs and some are exhaled. However this PM size is responsible for about 4million deaths globally because it causes heart and respiratory diseases, cancers and other illnesses.

Question 11

What are the countries that have had a history for being affected by smog?

Answer 11

Berlin, London,USA.
The perfect storm of smog, no wind and temperature inversions.