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View Ontology
| Name: | sulfur dioxide |
| Acronym: | SO2 |
| Description: | Sulfur dioxide (also sulphur dioxide) is the chemical compound with the formula SO2. It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel. Further oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain. Sulfur dioxide emissions are also a precursor to particulates in the atmosphere. Both of these impacts are cause for concern over the environmental impact of these fuels.Sulfur dioxide is one of a group of highly reactive gasses known as “oxides of sulfur.” The largest sources of anthropogenic SO2 emissions are from fossil fuel combustion at power plants (73%) and other industrial facilities (20%). Smaller anthropogenic sources of sulfur dioxide emissions include industrial processes such as extracting metal from ore, and the burning of high sulfur containing fuels |
| Type: | Noun |
| Term is: | Variable | | Term has: | Unit | |
