The Complex Chemistry Behind the Rain’s Scent
This distinct aroma is due to three main chemical processes: petrichor, ozone generation, and geosmin production.1 Petrichor is the term used to describe the smell produced after rain falls on dry soil or rocks. The post-rain smell comes from airborne organic molecules mixing with mineral surfaces. When it doesn’t rain for some time, these molecules mix with other elements on a rock’s surface, releasing a combination of things that make up petrichor.2
The second chemical process involved in this unique pre-rain scent is the inclusion of ozone. During a thunderstorm, the electrical charges can heat oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, which then can recombine into O3, ozone. Ozone has a sharp, pungent scent and is often described as akin to fresh linen.³ This smell is typically associated with the electricity-charged atmosphere of stormy weather rather than light rain.
CONTINUE READING ON THE NEXT PAGE Advertisement:
How To Make Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls
Learn the Secrets to a Whiter Skin with a Japanese Rice Mask
Coffee: A Million Times Stronger Than Botox? How Coffee Can Boost Collagen and Reduce Wrinkles
2 DIY Tricks to Remove Bleach Stains from Clothes
Just Mix Cl0ves with C0ffee and Y0u N0 L0nger Need t0 Buy Them at the Market.
These were a total hit! Everyone kept asking for more!
Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles
A Delicious and Healthy Homemade Bread Recipe for Breakfast
Rippled fingernails reveal secrets of possible disease
