Aerosol

An aerosol is a gas in which tiny particles are suspended. It is called an "erosol." The gas is often simply air. The solid particles are so tiny that they cannot be seen by eye. They can be solid or liquid. They are called "airborne particles." Scientists call them "aerosol particles" or "aerosol particles".

Aerosols are created by nature or by people. Aerosols are formed by nature with pollen from flowers, with spores from fungi, with viruses or bacteria. But the wind also forms aerosols by carrying fine dust from rocks, which is formed in the desert, for example. Wind with ash from volcanoes also forms an aerosol. A natural liquid aerosol is fog.

Aerosols are also formed by people. They are part of the smoke from campfires and heaters or exhaust fumes from cars. Aerosols are also produced by spray cans or factory chimneys.

Aerosols from nature rarely harm people. It becomes harmful in industry: Many paints or other coatings are sprayed on, for example when painting cars. Workers have to protect themselves with special face masks to prevent their lungs from getting sick.

Aerosols became particularly well known during the corona pandemic. Coronaviruses are not only present in the droplets that a person sprays when coughing or sneezing, but also simply in the air we breathe. Especially when many people are talking in an enclosed space or even a choir is singing, these aerosols accumulate in the air and can lead to infection. Respiratory masks and frequent ventilation of the room help against this.