aerosols

Question 1

define aerosol

Answer 1

suspended fine, solid, or liquid particle in the air or another gas

Question 2

Name biogenic sources of aerosols

Answer 2

Forest (organics), wind erosion (mineral dust), sea spray (sea salt), volcano(sulfates, dust)

Question 3

name anthropogenic sources of aerosols

Answer 3

biomass burning (organics), agriculture (ammonia), industry (sulfates), traffic (soot, NOx)

Question 4

define primary and secondary aerosols

Answer 4

primary: emitted directly into the atmosphere
secondary: formed in the atmosphere by gas to particle conversion.

Question 5

are more aerosol particles large or small

Answer 5

particle number is dominated by small particles

Question 6

describe the behavior of small particles

Answer 6

small particles behave like gases, and are lost to coagulation and diffusion

Question 7

describe the behavior of large particles

Answer 7

large particles behave lie rocks/droplets and are lost by gravitaional setting/deposition

Question 8

Define nucleation

Answer 8

Nucleation: formation of a stable cluster by condensing vapors

Question 9

define condensation

Answer 9

condensation: condensation of vapors onto existing particle surfaces causing particles to grow in size.

Question 10

define coagulation

Answer 10

coagulation: successful collision of 2 particles, resulting in one bigger particle

Question 11

Describe the effects of atmospheric aerosols

Answer 11

Health- eye irritant, increases respiratory mortality
Visibility- reduces visibility within the troposphere
Climate: directly scattering and absorbing solar radiation, increasing albedo.