Corrosive,
Harmful,
Acidic Rain
Celeste Keen
These are the questions I will address in the point of view of a chemist.
1. What is acid rain?
2. What chemicals make rain acidic, and how does it happen?
3. Where do these chemicals come from?
4. How do we measure the acidity of rain and what is pH?
5. What is the pH of normal rain, and at what level does the pH become
dangerous?
6. What can power stations and industry do to reduce acid rain?
7. What can we do to reduce acid rain?
1. Acid rain is polluted rain. It is
chemically different from normal
rainfall. Acid rain is also called Acidic
deposition.
2. It forms when sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides mix with the water.
The nitrogen monoxide slowly
combines with oxygen to form soluble
nitrogen dioxide gas.
2NO(g) + O2(g) => 2NO2(g)
Nitrogen dioxide easily dissolves in
water producing a mixture of nitric
and nitrous acids.
4. The normal levels of acid rain
are above 5.6 on the pH scale. To
read this, you would collect a
sample of rain and test it with a
pH strip.
5. The pH of normal rain is about
5.6. The pH at which fish die in
ponds when affected by acid rain
is 4.9. so some would say it
becomes dangerous in as little as
.7 points difference.
2NO2(g) + H2O(l) ==> HNO3(aq) +
HNO2(g)
3. These chemicals come from the billowing black
clouds of smoke from big corporate factories. The
burning of fuel to power the heavy machinery used to
make such things as cars, beds, etc. lets toxic
chemicals such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,
and oxides of nitrogen into the air.
6. By investing in better technologies, factories can cut down on
their emissions. These technologies have been developed to cut
the emissions way down. The companies would have to pay for
them and that is a major reason these machines are not being
used.
7. To reduce acid rain
ourselves, we need to
conserve energy. By
shutting off lights,
unplugging chargers and
things when we are not
using them, we are
decreasing the amount
of energy we use. Limit
air conditioning use, turn
everything off when you
leave, and you can even
buy more efficient light
bulbs and household
items.
1. What effect does acid rain have on trees and soil?
2. How does the effect of acid rain on trees and soil affect us?
3. What happens when lakes and aquatic systems become
acidic?
4. How does acidic water systems affect us?
5. Are the aquatic systems in our area being affected by acid
rain? If yes, to what extent?
6. What are the danger signs of the effect of acid rain on aquatic
systems?
1. Acid rain doesn’t usually kill trees
directly, but it weakens them by killing
their leaves and limiting the amount of
nutrients the tree can absorb, poisoning
them. The soil has a resistance to some
ph change which is called buffering
capacity. But not all acid can be
absorbed by the soil so it is transferred
into the roots of the trees.
2. The soil our food is
grown in can be affected
by acid rain. Therefore it
will not produce good
crops, giving us a smaller
harvest and a strain on
food supplies. It dissolves
the aluminum ions in the
soil. This causes other
issues like the trees
defoliating which will
decrease clean oxygen
levels.
3. The acid can be dangerous to many
types of aquatic species. Fish become
unable to take in oxygen. Reducing
biodiversity can cause great damage to
an ecosystem.
4. Some drinking water can become
contaminated. This poses a serious
health threat. It can contain a dangerous
level of arsenic and lead.
5. Almost everyone is
affected. With the recent
nuclear struggle, my guess
is that the west coast is
getting some sort or acidic
consequences. Chances
aren't minimal but they
aren't extreme.
6. Some danger signs to
watch out for are dead or
floating fish, and aquatic
life, dirty looking water, or
anything that is not normal
for that body of water.
There can also be excess
foam.
1. How does acid rain affect humans?
2. What are some of the direct effects of acid rain on
humans? Are there any health problems associated with
acid rain?
3. What are some of the indirect effects of acid rain on
humans? Does acid rain affect our sources of food, water,
and air.
4. What are the consequences of the effects of acid rain
on people?
1. Acid rain (sulfur dioxide & nitrogen dioxide)
can cause serious health problems for
someone. It can affect your car, your home,
and your food supply.
2. Acid rain can cause many health problems in
humans. All the pollutants that the water carries
cause conditions like asthma. People with heart
and liver problems are severely affected. It’s the
sulfur dioxide & nitrogen dioxide that cause
problems. In addition acid rain causes dry coughs,
headaches, eye, nose, and throat irritations. Acid
rain can also damage or irritate our lungs. It can
cause liver problems and can give you diarrhea.
Acid rain is more dangerous to older people and to
people who have heart problems or heart disease
or problems with the respiratory system. It is
dangerous for people who have problems with
their respiratory system because sulfur that is held
in the acid rain gets into your system.
3. It may also affect humans because
the acid goes into fruits, vegetables and
animals. In other words, if acid rain
doesn't stop and we eat these things we
can get very sick. Mostly, people are
harmed by acid rain but not directly.
4. The more acid rain there
is, the more deadly diseases
are worsened. The food
supply can be cut in half.
Many people could starve.
1. Does acid rain affect buildings?
2. What does acid rain do to our roads, highways,
and bridges?
3. What is the effect of acid rain on things made from
metal such as cars, trains, buses, and other means
of transport?
4. What does the effect of acid rain cost us in terms
of money?
5. What are the economic effects of acid rain on
fisheries, forestry, and agriculture?
1. Acid rain is very corrosive.
Buildings structures can be
weakened. The paint will peel
and the foundation will
become very porous.
2. Roads and highways are
paved. The acid in the rain
can wear pot holes into the
pavement creating a road
hazard and then the states
dollar has to pay for it to be
fixed.
3. Cars paints become old looking and
starts to peel. It will wear the metals
down on our modes of transportation.
4. Acid rain costs Canada one
billion dollars a year in loss of
trees and 2 to 4.5 billion in lost
food.
5. As stated before, acid
rain kills wildlife and fish. It
also damages forests buy
killing the leaves on the
trees. This in turn kills
opportunities to build
houses and make paper
products. No paper means
no money. The economy
could take an even worse
turn for the worse. Worst
case scenario, we could
have another depression.