Question

Aerosols can affect primary productivity by

• A. Inhibiting photosynthesis
• B. Increasing CO₂
• C. Decreasing oxygen
• D. None of these

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (D)

The correct options are
A

Inhibiting photosynthesis

D

None of these

An aerosol is a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in air or another gas. Scattering and absorption of sunlight by anthropogenic aerosols reduce the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) incident upon Earth's surface. Primary productivity is the rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic autotrophs into organic substances, and this is determined using PAR.