Particulates and sulfur dioxide are pollutants produced when some fuels burn. What is the polluting effect of sulfur dioxide?

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is produced when fossil fuels that contain sulfur impurities (like coal) are burned. This gas rises into the atmosphere and dissolves in water droplets within clouds. It reacts with water to form sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃), which can be further oxidised to sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). This makes the rainwater more acidic than normal, and it falls as acid rain, which can damage buildings, forests, and aquatic life.