ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Air quality index

The air quality index is a system that helps us understand how clean or dirty the air we breathe is. Think of it like a report card for the air outside. Just like how you get a report card to show you how well you're doing in school, the air quality index tells us how healthy the air is outside.

The index is based on a scale from 0 to 500. The higher the number, the worse the air quality. When the air quality is good, with little pollution, the number will be low (between 0 and 50). But when the air is dirty and unhealthy to breathe, the number will be higher (over 100).

The index takes into account different types of pollution like dust, smoke, and chemicals. These things can come from many sources, like cars, power plants, factories, and wildfires. When there is a lot of pollution in the air, it can cause health problems like asthma, coughing, and difficulty breathing.

To use the air quality index, you can look it up online or on the news. It will tell you what the number is for your area, and what that means for your health. If the number is high, you may want to stay indoors or avoid exercising outside. But if the number is low, you can breathe easy and enjoy the fresh air!