Acid Rain
First off, what is acid rain? We hear about it all the time in newspapers and how important it is to the environment. However, are we really listening to what is being said? Acid Rain is a term for rain, snow, sleet, or other wet precipitation that is polluted by such chemicals as sulfuric dioxide (SO2) and nitric oxides (NOx). Acid Rain occurs when these gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various acidic compounds. These compounds fall to the earth’s surface in two parts: wet and dry depositions. Wet deposition is the rain, fog, snow, and other forms of precipitation. As this moisture flows over and through the ground, it affects plants and animals. The effects of wet deposition depends on factors such as how acidic the water is, the buffering capacity of the soil involved, and the types of plants and animals that rely on the water for survival. Dry deposition is the acidic gases and particles in the atmosphere. About half of the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through dry deposition. Winds blow these particles and gases onto cars, homes, trees and plants, and the ground all around us. These particles and gases are washed from surfaces by
Not only does acid rain affect plant and animal life, it also affects you and me. Acid rain looks and feels like regular rain. It even tastes like clean, pure rain. The harm to people from this rain is not a direct one. Taking a walk in acid rain, or even swimming in an acidic lake, will not harm us. However, the chemicals that cause acid rain (SO2 and NOx) are known to damage the human health. These chemicals intermingle in the atmosphere to from fine sulfate and nitrate particles that are transported by winds into the air that people breathe. These particles then causes respiratory problems such as asthma, dry coughs, headaches, and eye, nose and throat irritations. Another effect that acid rain causes on the human health is due to the food we eat. Acid rain is absorbed in various plants and food we consume. It is even in the tissues of animals we eat. With this consumption come liver problems and sudden bouts of nausea and diarrhea. rainstorms into rivers and streams. When this happens, the acidity of the river doubles do to the additional dry deposition being dumped into it. Acidity in rain is measured using a pH scale, with the number 7 being neutral. A body of water with a pH of less than 7 is considered acidic. Therefore, a body of water with a value high than 7 is basic. The pH of 5.6 has been used as the baseline in identifying acid rain, although there is controversy over this number. The last question we should ask is what can be done about this problem? To solve the acid rain problem, people need to get educated on the causes and effects of it. Almost all of the electricity that powers modern life comes form the burning of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil). Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are emitted into the atmosphere from burning these fossil fuels. These chemicals mix with precipitation to form acid rain. Coal by its self accounts for most US sulfur dioxide emissions and a large portion of NOx emissions. We must start using o
Some topics in this essay:
Acid Rain,
SO2 NOx,
SO2 Nitrogen,
acid rain,
Rain Environment,
ph level,
dry deposition,
lakes streams,
enter water,
aquatic ecosystem,
acid rain affects,
ph level 6,
streams ph level,
burning fossil fuels,
rain causes,
human health,
oxides nox,
rain affect,
lakes streams ph,
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Approximate Word count = 1341
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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