The study from researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania, published Wednesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, found that when speaking loudly, you can spit out droplets that can float in the air for at least eight minutes.
Researchers did not determine whether droplets that carry the virus are enough to infect others.
However, the results of the study suggest that wearing facial coverings may curb the amount of droplets emitted when speaking, especially in situations where it's not possible to physically distance from others.
Coronavirus: New video study highlights how spit from talking travels in air with and without a mask
Some experiments that use lasers of light show just how far spit can travel in the air when talking.
In one published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results are shown on a video that highlights the difference in the amount of droplets that are generated by someone who isn't wearing a mask and someone who is.