Acid rain is caused when the sulfur and nitrogen oxides in air pollution combine with atmospheric moisture to produce highly acidic precipitation. Unpolluted rainfall is slightly acidic, with a natural pH of about 5, due to naturally occurring constituents of the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, but acid rain has a pH of about 4. Acid precipitation includes rain, snow, hail, and fog. The term acid deposition refers to both acid precipitation and tiny dust particles formed from the pollutants in acid rain. Acid rain has destroyed plant and animal life in lakes, damaged forests and crops, and caused extensive erosion of structures built of stone.
Sulfur and nitrogen oxides (often abbreviated SOx and NOx, respectively) are common by-products of fossil-fuel combustion. SOx forms from sulfur impurities in fuels, especially coal and some petroleum products. NOx forms from nitrogen impurities in fuels and from nitrogen in the air used for combustion. Coal- and oil-fired electric power plants are major sources of SOx emissions (see power, generation and transmission of); NOx comes from electricity production and gasoline-powered vehicles.
Acidic precipitation is widespread, because when these emissions are in the form of gases, they can be carried for thousands of kilometers by winds. Portions of eastern North AmericaÑincluding southeastern Canada, New England, and the mid-Atlantic regionÑhave suffered significant effects due to heavy automobile traffic in the Northeast and the concentration of coal-fired electricity generators in the midwestern region of the United States. In Europe the northern countries, especially Scandinavia, and the former Communist countries in the east have also been affected. In some areas of central Africa, use of heavy fuel oils to generate electricity produces acid rain. In China, coal is the most widely used energy source, and consequently, there is a serious acid rain problem.
Acids: Acid Rain What are the chemical causes of acid rain? How is acid rain formed? What problems does it cause? How can it be prevented? What are the economics of its prevention? Does Bangkok suffer from acid rain? How would you find out? Acid rain is water vapor, which reacts with airborne aci...
Acid Rain and the Environment First off, what is acid rain? ... However, are we really listening to what is being said? ... The next question one should ask is what does all this mean? ... Acid rain looks and feels like regular rain. ... Acid rain also affects architecture. ...
Technically, acid rain is rain that has a larger amount of acid in it than what is normal. ... This article gives an informational, in-depth look at acid rain--its causes and effects; and solutions to the acid rain problem. ... Therefore, now that we know what causes acid rain, here a look at how acid rain can hurt you and the world around you? ... Lakes are also damaged by acid rain. ... Acid rain can even kill fish before they are born. ...
The Acid Rain Issue Acid Rain is a serious problem with disastrous effects. ... In the following paragraphs you will learn what acid rain is, the effects it has on human life, animals, the economy, the economic costs, and what is being done to help to stop this problem. ... What is acid rain?... What is Europe Doing?... Acid Rain 2000T...
"What is Acid Rain?" ... In simple terms, acid rain is rain that is more acidic than normal. ... When this occurs, the runoff water adds the new acids to the acid rain, making a more acidic combination than the falling rain by itself. ... Acid rain has been a big problem for a long time. ... Acid Rain also has a direct affect on everyone. ...
First I will address how acid rain is formed, next what effect it has, and finally what we can do to pollute less. Acid rain affects almost everything. ... Snow and rain are highly acidic. ... In northeast United States, and southeast Canada some lakes have up to ten times the amount of acid in them than what should be there (Encarta). ... If acid rain corrodes buildings, kills ecosystems, and hurts plant growth what affect does it have on humans? ...
Acid rain" is a broad term used to describe several ways that acids fall out of the atmosphere. ... Wet deposition refers to acidic rain, fog, and snow and dry deposition refers to acidic gases and particles. According to what I read Acid Rain looks and feels like normal, clean rain. ... You are able to walk and swim in acid rain as you would in clean rain. ... I never really knew what was really acid rain and how it affected human health. ...
Acid rain is the cause of all of this and much more. Acid rain is a widespread term used to describe all forms of acid precipitation rain, snow, hail, fog, etc. ... What was once a local problem for towns and cities is now an international problem. ... Rain (snow, fog, etc.) measured at a pH below 5.6 is considered acid rain. ... There has already been plenty of damage done by acid rain. ...
Cars and trucks are another great cause of acid rain. ... The cost of acid rain is very dramatic. ... Acid rain is killing more than bodies of water. ... Acid rain effects many crops too. Tomatoes only grow half of what they"re supposed to be, and the leaves from radishes wither. ...
