Q1: The cooling effect in a cooling tower can be speeded up by

ANS:D - all (a), (b) and (c).

The cooling effect in a cooling tower can be sped up by increasing the air velocity and area of exposed wet surface, and reducing the humidity of the air. Here's why:

1. Increasing the Air Velocity and Area of Exposed Wet Surface: Higher air velocity increases the rate of evaporation of water from the wet surface, which enhances the cooling effect. Additionally, increasing the area of exposed wet surface allows for more water to be exposed to the air, promoting greater evaporation and cooling. Therefore, increasing both air velocity and the area of exposed wet surface can speed up the cooling process in a cooling tower.
2. Reducing the Humidity of the Air: Lower humidity levels in the air increase the vapor pressure difference between the air and the water in the cooling tower. This greater vapor pressure difference promotes faster evaporation of water from the wet surface, leading to enhanced cooling. Therefore, reducing the humidity of the air can also speed up the cooling process in a cooling tower.
3. Reducing the Barometric Pressure: While reducing the barometric pressure may have some effect on the cooling process, it is not a common method used to speed up cooling in cooling towers. Barometric pressure primarily affects the boiling point of water, but in cooling towers, evaporation is the dominant cooling mechanism rather than boiling.