Air pollution can also impact the Earth’s climate. Different types of pollutants affect the climate in different ways, depending on their specific properties and the amount of time they stay in the atmosphere. Any pollutant that affects the Earth’s energy balance is known as a “climate forcer.” Some climate forcers absorb energy and lead to climate warming, while others reflect the sun’s rays and prevent that energy from reaching the Earth’s surface, leading to climate cooling. Climate forcers can either be gases or aerosols (solid or liquid droplets suspended in the air) and include many traditional air pollutants, such as ozone and different types of particle pollution.