What is acid rain? Why is it omnipotent? What are the effects of the acid rain? Are there any prevention acts against it? These are just some of the questions that come to one's mind if the topic of acid rain ever comes up. So what is it? Acid Rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses increase levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). Acid rain is precipitation that has a pH less than 5.6. The pH scale is a scale that measures a compound and labels it as acidic (0-7), basic (7.1-14), or neutral (7.0). The precipitation can be in the form of rain, fog, snow, hail, or sleet. It is formed when increased amounts of sulfur or nitrogen oxides combine with atmospheric moisture. How did the name come to be? Though acid rain may have been seen since 1853, the actual term did not come into effect until 1872, when Robert Angus Smith, a Swedish scientist coined it. But it wasn't until late 1960s, other scientists had an interest in it and started studying the phenomenon that causes the acid rain. It was after this only that the government took the initiative to create laws that would allow the reduction of the methods that would eventually cause acid rain. .
Chemistry of Acid rain .
Acid rain if formed when large amounts of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides combined with water in the atmosphere. About one-fourth of the acidity of rain is accounted for by nitric acid (HNO3). Nitric oxide usually an element found in the atmosphere, and is discharged through electrical discharge, for example lightening. Eventually the nitric oxide is combined with Oxygen particles in the air to form what is known as nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The nitrogen dioxide is then mixed with water to form nitric acid (HNO3). Eventually lightning is not the only method that releases nitric acids into the air. Sometimes human activities can also have a drastic effect on the environment.
