Final answer:
Adding a new sink process to a system decreases the residence time of pollutants and lowers the steady-state concentration of air pollutants if the input remains constant.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a new sink process is added to a system, it creates an additional pathway for pollutants to be removed from the system. This affects the residence time of pollutants, which is the average time a pollutant molecule spends in the box before it is removed.
With an additional sink, the residence time decreases because pollutants have more opportunities to be removed. Consequently, the steady-state concentration of the air pollutant also changes.
In a steady-state system, the concentration of a pollutant remains constant over time, as the rate of addition of new pollutants is balanced by the rate at which they are removed. Adding a new sink increases the removal rate, leading to a lower steady-state concentration, provided the input of pollutants remains constant.
In summary, the addition of a new sink process in a confined space, such as a box, is likely to reduce the residence time of pollutants and contribute to a decrease in the steady-state concentration of air pollutant molecules. This change reflects the improved efficiency of pollutant removal from the environment.
The specific impact will depend on the effectiveness of the introduced sink process and the overall balance between pollutant emissions and removal mechanisms.