Where do positive ions go?

Home > Theory > Learn more about negative ions > 01

Q.01 - You state that negative ions are generated by the Lenard effect or other phenomena. Where do positive ions go? I wonder why only negative ions increase because I think both ions are generated.

A.01 - The Lenard effect is a phenomenon where air molecules, which are electronically neutral, are negatively charged when water droplets collide with each other or with a wetted solid and water molecules are positively charged. Most of the positively charged water molecules fall due to gravity and disappear from the air. As the result, the negatively charged air molecules remain in the air as negative ions. This is why only negative ions increase.

(Unit to express air ion counts)
Air ion counts are expressed in pcs/cc, which shows the number of air ion molecules contained per unit volume.

It is understood that water molecules give electrons to air molecules and receive the same amount of protons from them according to the electric charge conservation law. While the negatively charged air molecules remain in the air as negative ions, the positively charged water molecules fall down to the ground. This is why the number of negative ions increases in the air and positive counterparts seem to disappear.