Acid Rain is basically rain that has been made acidic by Sulfur DiOxide ( SO2 ) and other pollutants. Acid rain is formed by the release of ( SO2 ) and ( NO2 ) into the atmosphere. Then the chemicals are absorbed into the rainwater and create acid rain. Acid rain , mostly comes from the chemicals emitted into the air by coal fired power plants. Now there is a big push for clean coal and these power plants have mostly accomplished that. The power plants have scrubbers, covered in limestone that remove or “ scrub” the sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide and other harmful chemicals out of the coall Also acid rain is often mistaken by people to be “ green rain that burns you when it contacts your skin and body” but that is incorrect. Acid rain …show more content…
Acid rain , mostly comes from the chemicals emitted into the air by coal fired power plants. Now there is a big push for clean coal and these power plants have mostly accomplished that. The Clean Coal Act of 2007 requires that the new coal fired electric generating unit produce not more than 285 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per megawatt- hour to supply the grid. _ Clean Coal Act sponsored by Senator John Kerry. The power plants have scrubbers, covered in limestone that remove or “ scrub” the sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide and other harmful chemicals out of the coal. Acid Rain kills the trees indirectly periphrastically by damaging the leaves and depriving the trees of nutrients.
The purpose of this project was to determine if location affects the PH of rainwater . My hypothesis was that the water off of Route Two would be more acidic .
Background Information
Erosion is the removal and transportation of weathered and unweathered material by wind, gravity, water, ice and waves. Things that affect the earth through erosion may be topography, agricultural processes, deforestation and urbanization.
The topography of the land determines the velocity at which surface runoff will flow. This in turn determines the erosivity of the runoff. Unsustainable agricultural practices are the single greatest contributor to global increase. This includes; pesticide and chemical fertilizer usage, farming on
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
Acid rain is any form of precipitation comprising of acidic components such as sulphuric acid, carbonic acid or nitric acid that falls from the atmosphere as rain, snow, fog, fail or dust. When sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere, they are transported by wind and air currents. Hence, the two substances react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to for sulphuric, carbonic and nitric acids. The intense extraction of copper in Queensland is one of the causes of acid rain because the large machines that drill into the ground contributes to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in large masses. The roasting, smelting and converting of copper is another factor that contributes to acid rain. The ores are roasted to remove
There are several different pollutants that can lead to acid rain such as SO2, SO3, NO2, and CO2. These pollutants react with water to create acids as shown below.
First is the acidification. Chemical reactions involving air pollutants can create acidic compounds. Sometimes, when an air pollutant, such as sulfuric acid combines with the water droplets that make up clouds, the water droplets become acidic, forming acid rain. Acid rain can kill trees and harm animals, fish, and other wildlife. When acid rain gets into soils, it makes the soil become unfit for many living things due to the change of nutrition. Acid rain also changes the chemistry of the water, harming aquatic life and even people’s health.
“North Americans have been smelting ore and burning fossil fuels for generations. In the past, the gases went up ordinary chimneys or small smoke stacks, to descend upon near by areas and pollute them,” states author, Robert Collins. Almost everyone knows what acid rain is and has a vague idea of the consequences that exist as a cause of it. Most people however do not realize the severity of acid rain. The essay “Acid Rain: Scourge from the Skies” by Robert Collins was very effective in showing the true severity of acid rain. By using excellent developmental devices, Robert Collins was able to write an effective essay that is appealing to today’s society, as well as
Acid rain has a large concentration of hydrogen ions mainly coming from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. It could kill living organisms, damage buildings, and monuments.
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.
Rain drops that then fall through, or come in contact with, the acid will then increase their acidity. This is known as acid rain. This is a very large environmental issue because fossil fuels are burned to produce useful energy that is needed by society. But acid rain can reduce growth and even kill plants, trees and crops. It not only effects the part of the plant that is above ground, but drains the soil of its nutrients. The acidity of the rain will also lower the pH of water in lakes, killing the fish which live in it. Not only can the burning of fossil fuels ultimately lead to acid rain, but sulfur dioxide can also be the cause of many respiratory diseases like asthma and
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).
To conclude, acid rain includes many elements that make it well known worldwide today and also puts my mind into a new perspective of the effects that are happening in front of my own eyes that I am not noticing. Not to mention, that if I were to pursue the career of becoming an environmental engineer, I would be able to help protect the environment from acidity and become more aware of the solutions to this problem when the environment cannot neutralize the substances on its
Well if you already know that acid precipitation breaks down almost everything in it’s way that’s great but if you didn’t all give you a short explanation on what is. Some examples of acid precipitation are rain, sleet, or snow that contains a higher concentration of acid then normal. The things that make acid precipitation is when Air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, also produces these chemical compounds. In conclusion compounds combine with water in the atmosphere to form acids.
Acid Rain and acid deposition are pollutants that are very difficult to escape. It can reach every part of the US and many parts of the world. According to the EPA, Acid Rain is a term that tends to be broad. It’s when precipitation contains Acidic particles such as Sulfuric, or Nitric acid. These acidic particles can get carried all over by different means such as rain, wind, and even fog. Once it hits the ground it is then washed away into water systems. Acid Rain is something that many organizations are trying to have some control over due to the health issues it can cause in people and wildlife.
Acid rain is a type of rain mixed with acid that affects crops, buildings, and statues. Acid rain is made when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide combine with each other in the air. There are many different causes of acid rain; including the burning of fossil fuels, emittance from vehicles, volcanic eruptions, and decaying vegetation. Acid rain can be measured by using the pH scale. The pH scale is used to measure different levels of acidity and alkaline. The pH scale has a numerical scale of zero to fourteen, with seven being neutral. The pH of rain in Illinois is typically 4.7-4.8, making it acidic. In regards to the US, acid rain is most commonly found in the northeastern region. Acid rain can decay and erode buildings and statues, causing
Acid rain is referred to as the mixture of wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. Acid rain formation can be a result of both natural sources, such as volcanoes and decaying vegetation or man-made sources through emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This results in fossil fuel combustion. In the United States, roughly 2/3 of all SO2 and 1/4 of all NOx come from electric power generation that relies on burning fossil fuels, like coal. When these gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals, it forms various acidic compounds to form
In latest days, the water in our atmosphere has indication that it is already polluted with nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, both are chemical compounds that develop acid once joint with water. When the water vapor compresses and falls down to the land, it is usually denoted as acid rain, though acid rain likewise falls down as snow or as dried out small particles, blending with water once it touches surfaces on the land.