[1] Previous studies suggest that saturated fatty acids or other lipids, which are known to be strong film-forming agents, form condensed films on aqueous drops. Specifically, stearic acid (SA) has been used in laboratory and modeling studies to mimic the surface composition of some particles in the atmosphere. In this study, laboratory measurements were used to determine the rate of SA spreading from a solid on aqueous surfaces, ranging in composition from ammonium sulfate to highly acidic sulfuric acid. Maximum spreading rates were measured on neutral electrolyte solutions, while spreading was not observed on aqueous sulfuric and hydrochloric acids (pH < 0). Also, the spreading rates on water and electrolyte surfaces declined sharply as the solution pH was lowered from 7 to 3. Spreading rates are reported with a dependence on the length of solid-aqueous-air boundary (triple interface perimeter). Spreading rates measured on bulk solutions were modeled on atmospheric particles to determine the time constant of organic film formation on aqueous drops. The time required for a saturated fatty acid to spread and coat a submicron salt particle or a cloud drop is on the order of seconds to minutes or minutes to hours, respectively. In conclusion, lipid coatings can form quickly on neutral or slightly acidic salt drops if a sufficient amount of lipid is present in the drop and the lipid is in direct contact with the aqueous solution surface. Rapid film formation and fast heterogeneous oxidation can provide an efficient way of converting water-insoluble organic films into more water-soluble components in aerosols or cloud drops.Citation: Aumann, E., and A. Tabazadeh (2008), Rate of organic film formation and oxidation on aqueous drops,