Possible Sources Of Acid Precipitation In Your Community

Acidity of an ecosystem, measured in pH, is a crucial factor to the survival of a species in an ecosystem. Altering it can have result in dramatically negative effects, in spite of the fact that pH of an ecosystem has been dramatically changed over a relatively short period of time due to various human activities. For example, acid rain is a major environmental problem that is caused by human-made pollution. When fossil fuels are burnt to get energy, pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides get mixed into the rainwater and eventually are evaporated into the atmosphere. These gases enter the atmosphere, and mix with water in the water cycle to form an acidic mixture of water and gases. This water falls in the form of acid rain, which

In Chicago, acid rain has been corroding many statues, buildings, and monuments. Acid rain can do more than just burn materials, it can also destroy them. Buildings have been corroding for years on end, which makes them unstable and hazardous. This has become more and more of a problem throughout the years and has not been improving. Acid rain also creates a gypsum coating on materials that is insoluble and remains as a coating on the surface of a material (Allaby, 2003, pgs. 84-95). As a result of acid rain buildings will become uninhabitable and unsafe for people in the buildings and people in the vicinity of the building. Acid rain has very negative effects not only on buildings but to people and nature. The chemical substances in acid rain

Acid deposition can come in two forms, dry and wet. Wet deposition is when the acid falls in the form of fog, snow or other precipitation. Dry deposition is found in dry areas where it does not precipitate often. In these areas the chemicals fall as dust or smoke, and stick to whatever they land on. Acid deposition can be result to both natural and manmade sources. Natural sources of acid deposition include electrical storms, volcanoes, and decaying vegetation. Man-made emissions, from power plants that burn fossil fuels are released into the atmosphere as nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). These elements react to oxygen, water, and other gasses in the atmosphere in order to form acidic compounds. These acidic compounds then fall in either a wet or dry form. Acid rain can have a potentially devastating effects on the ecosystem it falls on. When acid rain hits the ground, it faces a natural buffer in the soil often in the form of limestone and calcium carbonate. The water will then travel into either a stream or a lake, where it affects fish. If the fallen rain has a pH at or below 5 undesirable species invade, often in the form of mosses or plankton. The top layer of water becomes too acidic for the inhabitants reproductive cycle to work properly, slowly killing off the

Acid deposition effects water systems because it lowers the pH in the water, creating adverse effects. More Acidic water will also more readily absorb aluminum leached from soil runoff. The combination of aluminum and acidic water is very harmful to many species. When biomagnification occurs many species will die off resulting in less biodiversity in the water system. Dead or dying trees is a common sight with acid deposition in effect. Acid rain leaches aluminum from the soil, doing so sucking the nutrients from the tree and causing death. At high elevation acidic fog, or clouds can strip the nutrients from the trees foliage’ causing them to lose leaves and die. The trees are also less able to absorb sunlight, and with that will not be able to achieve photosynthesis. As well as rural areas, urban areas also get affected. If buildings are made out of marble or limestone, the stone will begin to peel and chip away over time. This is possible because when the main crust chips away underneath is something composed of gypsum. A mineral that forms from the reaction between calcite, water, and sulfuric acid. This mineral can be slowly eaten away and destroyed by acid

Acid rain is rain that has been made acidic by certain pollutants in the air and has low pH levels that can harm the environment. It is a type of acid deposition that can appear in many forms such as, wet deposition, which can be rain, sleet snow or fog that is more acidic than normal, and dry deposition, where gases and dust particles become acidic. (Epa.gov) Acid deposition in wet and dry forms, falls on buildings, cars and trees and makes lakes acidic, which then leads to the danger of plant and animal life. Dry acid deposition though, can be inhaled by humans, which can then cause health problems. (Epa.gov)

If granite is soaked in acid rain, it will be affected the least because it is the most dense material out of the ones tested. The independent variable for this experiment is the types of

• Acid rain causes damages to vegetation. o Causes dieback of red spruce by decreasing their tolerance to cold. o Causes damage to sugar maple. • NAPAP was formed in 1980 to help resolve the acid rain policy debate • Estimation of economic impacts and the costs and benefits of controlling acid rain has been an issue in both Europe and the United States I will use this source to support my explanation of acid deposition and its causes. Citation:

Acid rain can hurt the plants in the forest environment because when the plant start drinking the acid rain it makes the plants natural defense weaker. In doing that they are easier to die by diseases because they do not have much natural defense to protect them. It can also cause fires to the environment. Acid rain is known to take the nutrients out of soil killing trees, plants, and crops. With the low nutrients it does damage to the red spruce tree

Another form of industrial waste that contributes to water pollution is acid rain. Acid rain is a product of industries burning coal. The burning of coal produces sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide, and when these chemicals combine with the earth’s atmosphere it forms acid rain The Northeastern part of the United States has the worst acid rain levels in the world. More specific, the states with the highest concentration are Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and some boarding parts of Canada and New England area. The falling acid rain can destroy plants and animals in several different ways. The acidification of a lake, river, or stream because of the high acidic levels in the water kills algae. Since algae are the main source of food, for many species of fish, they will also suffer from the high acid levels.

Acid rains as a phenomenon has been identified during the 19th century in Europe, and was attributed the smokes rising from chimneys factories coinciding with the overtime increase of rain acidification especially in Scandinavia. There is a growing interest in acid rains and its destructive effects in the light of the development of global industry especially in the industrialized countries, which consume huge quantities of fuel and release increasing quantities of gases such as sulphur dioxide, hydrogen, and nitrogen oxides which produce sulfur and nitrogenouns acids upon the interactions with oxygen and water vapour. Acids produced remain in the form of fine mist until dissolved in rainfall once occurs and then precipitates as

6. Based off of the information gathered at each lake, explain why your results may have turned out this way. Well the first lake I believe was so close to heavy population and factories that we effecting the water and during it to acid. Lake 2 was a several miles away and in a remote location that possibly a lot of people don’t know about. Lake 3 was on a wildlife preserve I feel like this one was more acid because there are animals and thing that could be getting in the water and turning it in more acidotic.

Acid rain is created through discharges of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, which reacts with water molecules and creates an acid. Acid rain breaks down rock and soil with contact through the Earth’s atmosphere, which is also known as weathering (Washington University).

Acid rain affects thousands of people worldwide and is produced by factories and car fumes. It is the product of humanity and should not happen if we were careful of our carbon emissions. This phenomenon has contributed to many ruined water sources around the world. If acid rain was never a problem then places like Canada would have more forests and trees in Ontario. Also not as much coral would be dying in the ocean. Acid rain is a serious problem that needs to be addressed with caution and must be effectively dealt with before it is too

Current precipitation has high levels of sulfuric and nitric acid. The biggest step we could take towards lowering the rate of acid rain is energy conservation, for instance when you are not using any electrical appliances simply cut it off and conserve energy. Transportation is the next thing we could change to help prevent acid rain since vehicles are also a major contributor to acid rain pollution. You could try and not use cars as much as, instead you could use public transportation, carpool, or even walk it would help reduce our reliance on fossil fuel. Alternative fuels is another way to decrease the amount of acid rain pollution. Using renewable sources of energy such as water, wind, and solar energy instead of using nonrenewable fuels. Using solar powered heating and battery powered cars are others ways that could reduce acid rain

As claimed by the National Geographic which has been around for over 100 years and has some of the world 's best researchers, scientists, and photographers working for them, acid rain is created from different chemicals that are put in the air unnaturally. Acid rain is any precipitation including snow and fog, that has high levels of nitric and sulfuric acid. When acid rain falls from the sky, it continues causing more and more damage around the world (“Effects Felt”). Scientists have proven that acid rain has been said to have a pH of 4.3 while pure water has a pH of 7. Meaning that acid rain has around the same acidity as orange juice and vinegar. This is extremely destructive to the environment. It is basically the same as pouring vinegar and orange juice all over the plants and lakes. Acid rain is an aberrant