Hint: Pollutants are contaminants that get introduced in a natural environment above the permissible limits.
Part 1- Pollution:
The presence or introduction of substances above a permissible limit in the environment is termed as pollution. The substances leading to pollution is termed as pollutants.
Pollution is of three major types;
Air pollution Water pollution Noise pollution
Part 2- Particle pollution (pollution caused by suspended particulate matter): Particulate matter like dust, smoke and soot present in the air are one of the major air pollutants. Soot is formed as a result of combustion of fuel like natural gas and oil.
Part 3- Physical pollutants: Physical entities like heat, sound can cause pollution if present above the permissible limits. They are classified as physical pollutants. Part 4- Conclusion: Dust, dirt, smoke, soot or small liquid particles present as pollutant in the environment is classified as particulate matter. They are formed as a result of a chemical process of combustion and are not a physical pollutant.
Final Step: Particulate matter (PM) such as smoke, soot and dust are not physical pollutants.