Michigan Geographic Alliance (1996)
Geography Sample Item
High School
Assessment Focus:
Strand 2
Developing a Geographic Perspective
Geography Content Standard
Human Environmental Interaction
Acid Rain Issues
Part A: Analyzing Information
Part B: Interpreting a Diagram to Explain Spatial Patterns
Part C: Constructing and Interpreting a Map
Constructed Response
Benchmarks: 2.2.1.h, 2.3.2.h, 2.4.1.h, 2.4.3.h, 2.5.2.h, 5.1.3.h, 6.1.1.h.
This assessment draws heavily on information processing, both text and graphic, including transferring textual information on to a map.
These assessment samples are intended for teachers to copy and use with their students. The assessments
complement the Geography Content Standards and Benchmarks (Strand 2: Geographic Perspective), Inquiry
(Strand 5), and Public Discourse and Decision Making (Strand 6) of the Michigan Framework for Social
Studies Education: Content Standards.
The samples included may also be used as models for teachers to follow in constructing geography
assessments that will challenge students as well as assist them in preparing for both classroom based and
statewide assessment.
ACID RAIN ISSUES
Acid rain was first noticed in Scandinavia in the 1950s when large numbers of fish in lakes died. Since then many
thousands of lakes and streams in North America and Europe have been found to be affected by acid rain.
PART A (Total Points: 6)
Study the extracts from newspapers and other publications shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1
Information on Acid Rain.
Cereal crops and root crops are stunted by acidity in the
soil and air. The lakes appear crystal clear. They seem
pollution free, until you notice that no fish swim in
them, no plants float in them, no insects scour the water
for food.
(Express and Star, 7 April 1986)
In the popular Canadian Tourist area of MuskokaHaliburton, 26% of the streams had minimum pH values
below 4.5, some were below 4.0 during the spring snow
melt. Most fish cannot survive below a pH of 5.0.
(Ontario's Environment Ministry)
9,400 lakes and 60,000 miles of streams have already
been altered by acid rain or are at serious risk from its
effects in the
.Eastern United States.
(Congressional Office of Technology Assessment,
1982)
In Sweden, which lies down wind of major industrial
regions of Western Europe, 18,000 of the country's
85,000 lakes are already acidified.
(Swedish Ministry of Agriculture)
Acid rain corrodes marble, sandstone, concrete, and
limestone. The Acropolis in Athens and the Taj Mahal
in India have both deteriorated rapidly in recent years.
St. Paul's Cathedral in London has lost almost an inch
thickness of stone since it was built.
Nearly a third of Germany's trees have been damaged
by acid rain. This amounts to almost 2.5 million
hectares.
(Geofile, April 1984)
Alkaline
12
11
Ammonia
Neutral
10
9
8
sea water
Acid
7
6
5
milk
natural rain
4
3
2
1
0
apples
vinegar
acid rain
The measure of acidity is pH. The pH of distilled water is 7 (neutral).
Each pH unit represents a tenfold change in the acid strength.
Page 2
Acid Rain Issues
High School
1.
What is "acid rain" and how does it compare with natural rain?
2 points
2.
Explain FOUR ways in which acid rain damages the environment, give examples of where such damage has
occurred.
4 points
Benchmarks: 2.2.1.h, 2.3.2.h, 2.4.1.h, 2.4.3.h, 2.5.2.h, 5.1.3.h.
High School
Constructed response: information processing.
Acid Rain Issues
Page 3
PART 2 (Total Points: 17)
Study the diagram in Figure 2 which shows some of the processes and linkages involved in the acid rain cycle and
the maps of North America in Figure 3.
Figure 2
The Acid Rain Cycle.
Prevailing winds sweep acids over
long distances
In clouds, oxidation of gases to
acids speeds up.
Wet Deposition: "acid rain",
on average 500 miles from
pollution source
Sunlight and other chemicals
oxidize gases slowly to produce
sulphuric and nitric acids.
Polluting acid rain: acid
rain falls far from pollution
sources
Limestone soils neutralize acid rain.
Poor thin soils formed on granite rocks do not
neutralize acid rain; acid gets into streams.
Run off: acid water leaches aluminum and
other toxic metals from soils.
Dry Deposition:
main form of
pollution up to
150 miles from
pollution source.
Trees: first damage probably caused by ozone
(made in the atmosphere from car exhaust gases).
Weakened trees then fall victim to acid pollution,
pests, and drought.
Hot gases rise.
Fish: severe acidity will kill fish, but
aluminum poisons hatchling fish and
forms mucus on gills of adult fish.
Industry emits acid gases (sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides).
Power stations emit sulfur and
nitrogen.
Cars emit nitrogen.
Direct damage from dry deposition:
corrosion of stone and metal
buildings, and some crops stunted.
Figure 3
Principal Sources of Sulfur Dioxide Emissions, 1980s.
N
Hudson
Bay
Pacific
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
Sources of Emissions
Over 110,000 tons of
sulfur oxides per year
0
250
Miles
Page 4
500
750
Gulf of
Mexico
Acid Rain Issues
High School
Figure 4
Acidity of Precipitation, 1982.
N
Hudson
Bay
5.0
4.8
4.6
4.4
Pacific
Ocean
4.2
Distribution of Acid
Precipitation
Atlantic
Ocean
5.0
4.8
Area of lowest pH
4.8
0
Line of approximately
equal pH value
250
500
Gulf of
Mexico
750
Miles
1.
Which acid gases are involved in the production of acid rain?
2 points
2.
Name THREE sources of acid gases commonly thought to be responsible for acid rain.
3 points
3.
What is dry deposition?
1 point
High School
Acid Rain Issues
Page 5
4.
How are the acid gases converted to acids and transported over long distances?
2 points
5.
Where does most dry deposition occur and how does this compare with where most wet deposition occurs?
2 points
6.
How do the underlying rocks influence the effects of acid rain on lakes and rivers?
2 points
7.
How does acid rain harm fish?
2 points
8.
Look carefully at the maps in Figures 3 and 4. Where are the areas with highest acidity of precipitation located in
United States and Canada? Explain the reasons for this pattern.
3 points
Benchmarks: 2.2.1.h, 2.3.2.h, 2.4.3.h, 2.5.2.h, 5.1.3.h.
Page 6
Constructed response: information processing.
Acid Rain Issues
High School
PART C (Total Points: 15)
On the map of North West Europe (Figure 5) some of the major sources of sulfur dioxide are marked.
Figure 5
Acid Rain Pollution Sources in North Western Europe.
N
Legend
Legend
High sulfur
Sulfur
dioxide sources
Prevailing wind
wind
0
100
200 200
300 300
400
0 100
Miles
Miles
500
Atlantic
Ocean
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
1a. On the outline provided, shade the area most likely to experience dry deposition. Add this shading to the legend and
label.
2 points
1b. Print in the correct location on the map the names of THREE countries which are most likely to experience dry
deposition.
3 points
2a. On the same outline, shade the area most likely to experience wet deposition. Add this shading to the legend and label.
2 points
2b. Print in the correct location on the map the names of THREE countries which are most likely to experience wet
deposition.
3 points
High School
Acid Rain Issues
Page 7
3.
Why is it necessary for international cooperation to take place in order to control the effects of acid rain?
2 points
4.
Explain THREE feasible ways in which the problems caused by acid rain could be lessened.
3 points
Benchmarks: 2.2.1.h, 2.3.2.h, 2.4.3.h, 2.5.2.h, 5.1.3.h, 6.1.1.h. Constructed response: information processing/ prior knowledge/ public policy issues/ map construction.
Page 8
Acid Rain Issues
High School
Acid Rain Issues
Teacher Resource
SCORING GUIDE
PART A
#
1
2
PART B
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
PART C
#
1a
1b
2a
2b
3
4
High School
Answer
Rain water mixed with acid pollutants, e.g. sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. 1 pt.
pH of less than 4 compared to natural rain pH of 5.6. 1 pt.
Stunts crops, corrodes stone and concrete, kills aquatic life, kills trees.
0.5 pts. each.
Scandinavia, UK, Germany, Canada, Eastern United States. 0.5 pts. each.
Pts
2
Answer
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. 1 pt. each.
Industry, power plants, cars. 1 pt. each.
Deposition of dry particulates of sulfuric and nitric oxides.
Sunlight and other chemicals oxidize gases into acids which dissolve in water droplets,
transported by prevailing winds. 1 pt. per factor.
Dry deposition within 150 miles of source, wet deposition average 500 miles. 1 pt. each.
Chalk and limestone soils neutralize acidity. Soils from granite do not neutralize acid rain, so it
runs off into lakes and rivers. 1 pt. each.
High acidity kills fish. 1 pt.
Aluminum, leached out of the soils by acid rain, runs off into lakes and
streams and is toxic to fish, killing hatchlings, and causing the formation of mucus on the gills of
adult fish. 1 pt.
Northeast US and southeast Canada. 1 pt.
Areas of heavy rain, particularly on mountains; down wind of sources
of pollution. 1 pt. each.
Pts
2
3
1
2
Answer
Shaded area from sources northeast 150 miles. See map below.
1 pt. correctly drawn. 1 pt. for the legend.
Three countries within 150 miles approximately, to northeast of sources, including those in
which the sources are located. 1 pt. each.
Shaded area from 150 miles to over 500 miles northeast of sources. See map below. 1 pt.
correctly drawn. 1 pt. for the legend.
Three countries which are 150 to 500 miles northeast of sources.
1 pt. each.
Pollution generated in one country falls as acid rain in another. 1 pt.
Example ........ 1 pt.
Factories - use cleaner fuels, install pollution control devices.
Power stations - use less fossil fuels, particularly coal. Switch to renewable energy sources.
Cars - use cleaner fuels e.g. ...., better pollution control devices, fewer
car journeys - more car pooling and public transport. 1 pt. per way.
Pts
2
Acid Rain Issues
4
2
2
2
3
3
2
3
2
3
Page 9
PART C
Suggested answers to Questions 1 and 2.
Distribution of Acid Rain in North West Europe.
N
Legend
High sulfur
dioxide sources
Prevailing wind
Dry deposition
Wet deposition
0
100
200
300
400
500
Sweden
Miles
Norway
Atlantic
Ocean
United
Kingdom
North
Sea
Baltic
Sea
Denmark
Netherlands
Belgium
Poland
Latvia
Lithuania
Belarus
Germany
Ukraine
Czech Rep.
Slovak Rep.
France
Page 10
Acid Rain Issues
High School