sulfur dioxide
7
4.5
- noun
- /ˈsʌlfər daɪˈɒksɪd/
- Specialized
:
dióxido de azufre
- In Southeast Asia, emissions of sulfur dioxide are expected to triple in the next two to three decades.
- sulfur dioxide emissions
- sulfur dioxide allowance
- sulfur dioxide reduction
Examples
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Particulates and sulfur dioxide cause relatively little damage to crops.
Academic text (1997) -
The Green Plan also funds research with respect to the reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions.
Academic text (1992) -
The main air pollutants subject to regulations are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and dust.
Academic text (1993) -
The states alleged that their sulfur dioxide nonattainment was a direct result of transport from a number of upwind states.
Academic text (1996) -
Second, these estimates generally failed to take into account cheaper ways of reducing sulfur dioxide, notably by switching to low-sulfur coal.
Academic text (1998) -
Suppose, for example, that a 100-ton reduction in aggregate sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions could protect a lake from acid rain.
Academic text (1998) -
But coal also releases pollutants into the air like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, soot, and toxic metals like mercury.
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The most common ambient air pollutants in Hong Kong are sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO), and particulates.
Academic text (1990) -
When coal is burned, it produces sulfur dioxide, a major cause of acid rain.
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The clouds need gases such as sulfur dioxide to form, and it is produced by volcanic activity.
Synonyms
Compounds made of sulfur and oxygen, often gases that pollute air like sulfur dioxide
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound name is transparently compositional: 'sulfur' (the element) + 'dioxide' (containing two oxygen atoms) directly indicates a molecule of sulfur bonded to two oxygens (SO2). This follows standard chemical naming conventions found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the basic meaning even if details like toxicity or industrial uses require extra knowledge.
Etymology
Sulfur dioxide is named for what it is: sulfur plus dioxide, where 'di-' means 'two' and 'oxide' means oxygen, so the name tells you the gas has one sulfur and two oxygen atoms. It has a strong smell and comes from volcanoes and burning coal, which is why it makes 'bad air' and 'acid rain'.