Talk:aerosol

RFV discussion: May 2020
Rfv-sense: "A dispersion of fine particles of a solid or liquid in a pressurized or liquefied gas propellant for release as an aerosol spray"
 * This is not in line with the definition of aerosol. This type of substance may become aerosol when released from the container, but it isn't an aerosol as long as it remains in the container. The usage example doesn't make things any clearer. Merriam-Webster gives this as 2nd definition for aerosol: "a substance (such as an insecticide or medicine) dispensed from a pressurized container as an aerosol -- also : the container for this". Might this be what is sought after? --Hekaheka (talk) 22:04, 15 May 2020 (UTC)
 * Metonymy at work. Some collocations from non-technical contexts: "easy-to-use aerosol", "aerosol spray", "aerosol cans", "Each time a new product is marketed in an aerosol", "Aerosol displays add", "aerosol buying rates", "your aerosol has too many parts", "You used to be able to buy an aerosol boasting of a 'new car smell'"
 * Clearly many of these refer not to the particulates suspended in the air, but to the spray can that contains what is intended to be suspended.
 * In some cases aerosol is used to refer to a container of whipped cream, shaving cream, perfume, pesticide, etc, in which case the term seems to refer not to any lastingly suspended particles, but rather to a system for dispensing something that is to be applied to a surface. DCDuring (talk) 16:50, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * You say that the word "aerosol" is used to refer to the spray can. I buy that, in fact I said it too. What I tried to complain about, is that our current definition seems to say something else. To me it implies that the dispersion inside the spray can is an aerosol. Also the example still doesn't make sense to me: "An aerosol was used to force the flea powder out of the can." I would rather think that "A propellant was used to force the flea powder out of the can" or that "The flea powder was forced out of the can as an aerosol". --Hekaheka (talk) 21:59, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * One can find usage like "Aerosol pressure forces uniquely formulated oil into the pores of rust-frozen surfaces for fast, complete penetration", "In the fast moving field of aerosol (pressure) packaging, CO2 has long been used with nitrous oxide to dispense whipped cream.", "Application by use of an aerosol resulted in further damage to the test piece, as the aerosol pressure detached even more foam from the object", "Thus, the maximum safe aerosol pressure ....", and "The newest type of chemical barrier is packaged under aerosol pressure in a bottle or can with a valve at the top" which, at the very least, make it easy to think that an aerosol is the source of pressure. The common collocations "aerosol pressure can|tank|container" support the meaning. I don't know whether such incorrect or correct-but-subject-to-misinterpretation usage warrants a definition. DCDuring (talk) 02:45, 17 May 2020 (UTC)
 * I believe we have concluded that in addition to a dispersion in a gaseous medium "aerosol" may refer to an "aerosol can" and/or its contents. I replaced the old sense with two new ones:
 * An aerosol can.
 * The payload (e.g. insecticide, paint, oil, cosmetics) and propellant contained by an aerosol can.
 * --Hekaheka (talk) 10:00, 18 May 2020 (UTC)
 * I'm glad we keep these discussions on talk pages. DCDuring (talk) 22:57, 18 May 2020 (UTC)