What role do particles like salt and dust play in the atmosphere?

Particles such as salt and dust in the atmosphere primarily serve as condensation nuclei. These tiny particles provide a surface on which water vapor can condense, forming cloud droplets. This process is essential for cloud formation and precipitation. The presence of condensation nuclei facilitates the transition of water vapor in the atmosphere to liquid water, which is crucial in weather patterns and the hydrological cycle.

While particles like salt and dust can have various effects on the atmosphere, such as scattering light, they do not directly increase temperature. The influence of these particles on temperature is more indirect. For example, they may affect cloud properties and thus alter the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface, but this is not the same as directly increasing temperature.

Therefore, the most accurate role for these particles is acting as condensation nuclei, directly relating to the cloud formation process. The option that includes both acting as condensation nuclei and the assertion that they increase temperature acknowledges the correct role regarding condensation while pairing it with an influence that is not as straightforward.