How are dusts formed?

Dusts are primarily formed through the process of mechanical disintegration, which involves the breakdown of larger particles into smaller fragments through physical forces. This process can occur in various ways, such as abrasion, grinding, or other forms of mechanical action that cause materials to shatter or crumble into fine particles that can become airborne.

Mechanical disintegration is responsible for the presence of dust in many environments, including construction sites, industrial settings, and even natural phenomena like soil erosion. Unlike processes such as condensation, which involves changing the state of matter from gas to liquid, or atomization, which involves the transformation of liquids into fine sprays, mechanical disintegration focuses solely on the physical fragmentation of solid materials.

Incomplete combustion could also produce fine particulate matter but is more relevant to specific contexts like smoke or soot rather than the general formation of dust. Overall, mechanical disintegration accurately describes the primary mechanism by which dust is generated in various settings.