ACID RAIN
Some Stay Dry and
Others Feel the Pain
What is acid rain?


Precipitation with high levels of nitric and
sulfuric acids
Two types
 Wet deposition

E.g. rain, fog, snow
 Dry

deposition
acidic gases and particles
Cause: air pollution


Fossil fuels burning
 Emit sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide
 Chemicals absorbed into atmosphere
 Reactions occur => acidic compounds
Acidic compounds spread
 Wind
 Run-off water
But, hey, what’s wrong with a few
acidic compounds in precipitation?

Destroys ecosystems
 Kills off wildlife
 Example:
small fish can be killed by high acidic
levels in their water
As you can see, this cycle is just like
the water cycle… with a zing!
Cycle simplified
Prevention



Reduce emissions from air
pollutants
 Walk or bike; don’t drive all
the time!
 Use public transportation or
carpool
Recycle
 Less waste=Less pollutants
Conserve Energy
What is being done currently?

EPA Clean Air Act
Controls air pollution
 Reduce smog, haze, acid rain, and more
 Phases out chemicals that destroys the atmosphere


Beverly Hills sorts through trash for recyclable
items
Contacts



Environmental Protection Agency
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Read more about the Clean Air Act on epa.gov