Final answer:
Ion generators neutralize airborne particles by emitting charged particles, which then attach to and neutralize airborne contaminants, causing them to settle out of the air onto surfaces.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ion generators work by emitting charged particles into the air. These particles can then attach to airborne particles like dust, pollen, or smoke, giving them a charge. Once charged, these particles are attracted to surfaces with the opposite charge, or repelled by surfaces of like charge, effectively removing them from the air. The correct function of ion generators in relation to particles within an area is to neutralize them, which in this context means to negate their charge so they are no longer suspended in the air.
For example, if an ion generator emits negatively charged ions, these ions will attach to positively charged particles in the air. Due to the fact that opposite charges attract (just as both positive and negative objects can attract a neutral object by polarizing its molecules), the charged particles will be attracted to and can then adhere to surfaces like walls, floors, or furniture, which are typically positively charged.