Natural events like volcanic eruptions can really change the air we breathe and the weather we experience. When a volcano erupts, it sends out a lot of gases and tiny particles into the atmosphere. Here’s how it happens:

1. Gases Released:

   • Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂): When a volcano erupts, it can let out between 0.1 to 3 million tons of sulfur dioxide. This gas can turn into tiny particles called sulfate aerosols. These aerosols are important because they can bounce sunlight away from the Earth, which might cool things down for a little while.
   • Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Volcanoes do release carbon dioxide, but not as much as human activities do. For comparison, volcanoes emit about 0.025 billion tons of CO₂ each year, while human activities release around 33 billion tons. Even though volcanoes release less, it still changes the air we breathe.

2. Tiny Particles:

   • Volcanoes send out ash and tiny particles that can fly really far—sometimes thousands of kilometers away. A good example is the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, which released about 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide and 10 million tons of ash high into the atmosphere.

3. Effects on Climate:

   • After a volcanic eruption, the temperature on Earth can drop by about 0.5 to 1 °C for 1 to 3 years.
   • Big eruptions in the past, like the one at Krakatoa in 1883, caused noticeable changes in the climate, showing how powerful volcanic eruptions can be.

These changes can mess with our weather patterns and affect climate in both local areas and around the world.