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Isn't SO2 a nastier dehydrated form of sulfuric acid? How does that not turn into acid rain?
by jjoonathan 4y ago
Isn't SO2 a nastier dehydrated form of sulfuric acid? How does that not turn into acid rain?
- nick238 4y agoSO3 can react to form H2SO4. If you dissolve SO2 into water you get 'sulfurous acid', which is not a strong acid. The Wikipedia article on 'acid rain' mentions the chemistry to convert SO2 is as follows: SO2 + OH· → HOSO2· HOSO2· + O2 → HO2· + SO3 SO3 (g) + H2O (l) → H2SO4 (aq)
- PaulHoule 4y agoIt does turn to acid rain. Back in the 1970s and 1980s the effect of global warming was attenuated by SO2 emissions in the troposphere, one of the many reason deniers were able to deny as long as they did. SO2 particles last a few days in the troposphere but last a few years in the stratosphere. So the cooling effect you get is hundreds or thousands of times more per unit mass so the amount of acid rain you get for the amount of cooling you get is much more favorable than in the bad old days.