What is an Aerosol?

An aerosol is a collective term for the set of microscopic particles included in a gas. This may involve particles contained in a solid or liquid form in a gas. A well-known example of an aerosol composed of solid particles is smoke or smog. Clouds and fog are well-known examples of an aerosol shaped by very small droplets of water. In addition, aerosols are used for industrial purposes in the form of sprays, deodorants, detergents and propellants. Aerosols can therefore be created both naturally and by human activity. An aerosol is often seen as polluting but this is not always the case.