This is the Space To Learn Live Particle Data page
The Raspberry Pi Up A Tree
This particle data is being measured by a Raspberry Pi computer which is located within an ancient woodland in the Mountains of Mourne
To learn more about the Space To Learn Woodland Experiment Test Bed site please click here
Look carefully at the graph readout below.
When we think of “air pollution”, what we often mean is particulate matter.
These particulates range in size and type, from larger ones like dust, pollen, and mould spores, to smaller ones like smoke particles (from combustion), and other organic particles.
The sensor producing the live data below – which is securely located up a tree in Northern Ireland – has a little fan that is always sucking in air through the device.
A laser then detects the number and size of particles in the air passing through.
It outputs to this page the data about one particle in particular: PM 2.5.
These numbers refer to the size of the particles in microns, so PM10 is particles of 10 microns and smaller, and PM2.5 is particles of 2.5 microns and smaller. That is 0.0025 mm!
The number that the sensor generates is the concentration of pm 2.5 particles in ug/m3.
ug/m3 means one microgram (one-millionth of a gram) per cubic meter air.
That is a very small amount – but it is still measurable!
Your school has the opportunity to study particles in more detail as part of the Amazon Sustainability Initiative. For more details of the great Micro:Bit based resources that your school can enjoy classroom experimenting with, please click here.
