Acid Rain Introduction “Acid rain is rain that has been made acidic by certain pollutants in the air. Acid rain is a type of acid deposition, which can appear in many forms. Wet deposition is rain, sleet, snow, or fog that has become more acidic than normal” (1). Rain is classified as acidic if it has a pH level under 5.7 (2). Acid rain is a growing issue in today’s society for a number of reasons. Acid rain’s effects mainly impact the air and environment. Aquatic life is significantly impacted
Why Acid Rain is a Problem Acid rain has been a problem dating back to the 1800s, but it was not until the 1960s that attention was finally brought to the forefront of this problem. Acid rain is not just rain, it is also snow, fog, hail, and mist. Rain itself contains acid because it mixes with naturally occurring oxides in the air. According to Fact Sheet, unpolluted rain would have a pH level of between 5 and 6. When the air becomes polluted with nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide the
Pollution often releases chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air that react with the other chemicals to create acid rain. Because water is so essential to different organisms, the acidification of water affects other biochemical processes and various aspects of our environment, including agriculture, tree damage at high elevations, and acidification of the soil. (US Environmental Protection Agency) These effects negatively impact other organisms, such as plants that can
In describing acid precipitation pollutant chosen it is more commonly known as acid rain representing a form of secondary pollution (EB,2013). Nitrogen and sulfur oxides are released into the atmosphere reacting to water and other components forming acids (EB, 2013). Acid rain refers to two different processes that enable the acid suspended in the atmosphere to deposit on the Earth’s surface water dries (EB, 2013). Wet acid decomposition fades to the Earth’s surface when it rains snows or fogs
Acid rain has been a problem to Earth's ecosystems since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution period; when machines and industry began spewing out acidic pollution into our atmosphere. However, only in the past few decades have the problem of acidic rain fallout been known and studied. The acid rain problem received top billing with environmentalist and politicians throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. Acid rain has a harmful effect to our environment. To begin with according to the United States
You’re probably wondering, “What is acid rain?” In this essay I will be discussing what acid rain is, the nature of acid rain, and the appearance. Also, I’ll be telling you about the influence acid rain has on people’s health and different effects. Last but not least, I will be typing about some preventions against acid rain and what techniques can be used. First of all, “What is acid rain?” Basically acid rain is rainfall made sufficiently acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental
AREAS IN THE WORLD THAT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ACID RAIN What areas in the world have problems with acid rain? Areas that have problems with acid rain are those that contain many running cars and a large population of people in one place, such as cities. Areas near electric companies that burn fossil fuel or manufacturing industries also face acid rain. Even areas that are far from electric companies and manufacturing industries face the wrath of acid rain as SO2 and NOx can travel far through wind and
Acid can take the form of clouds, fog, rain, snow, hail, mist, and dust particles. Acid precipitation, such as rain, looks like normal rain and tastes like it as well. In small amounts, it is harmless. In other ways, it is anything but. Acid precipitation does not affect people directly, but when it is inhaled, it can cause heart problems and affect the lungs, giving people asthma and bronchitis. Some of the effects that acid precipitation has, is that it has the ability to lower the natural pH
Acids are part of our everyday life. Citrit acid is found in lemons, limes, and oranges. Carbonic acid is found in soda pop. However, acidic gases natuarlly occur in the atmosphere. This acidic process can be made from plants and animals (“Acids in the Environment,” 2011). Generally, rain is is inherently acidic. Acid rain though, is exactly the same excerpt for a slight increase in acidity. Neither of them cause burns, however. There are many different types of acid rain, the best known are
Introduction Polluted rain is called acid rain. Some acids are helpful. We have acid in our stomachs to break down and digest food. We use vinegar, an acid, to pickle cucumbers. Acids like these help us. But, acids can also be harmful. If there is too much acid in garden soil, plants will not grow. Some acids will burn your skin. Acid rain is harmful rain. When it falls on living things–plants, animals and people–it can harm or kill them. Leaves burned by acid rain cannot make oxygen or collect