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Hollywood Science
Dante's Peak page 1 2 3 4 5
Other gases include: hydrogen sulphide (H2S), hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen chloride (HCl), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and helium (He), in smaller amounts.

Let’s take a look of the effect of the main gases released by the volcano. Water will not make any difference, CO2 will react with water to create a weak acid called carbonic acid.
C02(g) + H2O(aq) ->H2CO3(aq)

Sulphur dioxide is a colourless suffocating gas with a pungent odor. Its water solubility is 10 g/100 mL at 20 degrees celcius. Because it is twice as heavy as air it tends to fall to ground level.
In water sulphur dioxide will dissolve to form a weak solution of sulphurous acid.
SO2 (g) + H2O (l) ->H2SO3(aq)

It also reacts with oxygen to produce sulphur trioxide (SO3).
2 SO2 (g) + O2 (g) ->2 SO3 (g)

Chemical reaction graphic

This reaction is usually very slow. However, one of the mysteries during early research on air pollution was how the sulphur dioxide produced from the combustion of sulphur-containing fuels is so rapidly converted to sulphur trioxide in the atmosphere.



Pierce Brosnan
Over-egged?
Fancy an egg? And another? And another... could anyone eat eggs like Paul Newman appears to in Cool Hand Luke?
What Happens Next...?
After the final reel, you can take your interest in science further by sampling one of the OU's courses.