Aerosol Physics, 5 op

Core content

• Single-particle mechanics in fluid; The student understands and is able to quantify the physical laws governing aerosol particle linear and accelerating motion in a fluid under different flow conditions.
• Particle size distributions: The student is able to understand, generate and perform calculations with various representations of the aerosol size distribution (both continuous and discrete). The student also understands the moments of the size distribution.
• Brownian diffusion in aerosol systems: The student knows and can perform calculations on the most important phenomena arising from Brownian diffusion in aerosol systems: particle diffusion, coagulation, condensation and evaporation.
• Aerosol particle properties: The student is able to determine the appropriate properties governing aerosol phenomena and compute them for well-defined systems from given data, and convert between different representations.
• Aerosol thermodynamics: The student understands and is able solve problems on the principles governing particle equilibrium size for pure and solution droplets, gas-to-particle processes and particle formation

Complementary knowledge

• The student understands and can calculate the properties of phoretic effects and their cause
• The student understands and can perform calculations on how filtration (and other loss processes) operate on the particle size distribution
• The student is able to understand the physical basis of different particle size regimes and correct calculations accordingly.
• The student has an overview of the variation of properties in realistic systems, especially in atmospheric aerosol
• The student has understanding on the atmospheric and climatic relevance of droplet activation.

Specialist knowledge

• The student understand the most important properties in relation to aerosol health effects.