Question: How can the chemicals in pine odour affect water and the atmosphere?

Cat Scott ? answered on 9 Mar 2016:

Great question, thanks Annie!

These chemicals are really interesting because when they are emitted into the air they can combine with other things to make more complex chemicals and even go on to form tiny particles. These particles are about 10 000 times smaller than the width of a human hair – so they’re REALLY small! But, they are important because without these particles, our clouds wouldn’t be so bright white. The fact that clouds are white means that they reflect a lot of the light that we get from the Sun back into space and this is important for the climate.