Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Science Worksheet Acid Rain In this worksheet, students will check their knowledge of acid rain, how it is formed and what affect it can have on the environment. Key Information Topic The Environment Level (1-3) Questions 10 Key Stage KS 3 Year 9 Curriculum Coverage Chemistry: Earth and Atmosphere Curriculum Skill Human Activity and Climate Name Date EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 1/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Introduction Rain is an essential part of our lives. It allows plants to grow and helps provide us with the water that we need to survive. The rain, however, is not always just water: pollution in the air has affected the rain and dissolved gases can turn it into ... acid rain. What is Acid Rain? As the name suggests, acid rain is simply when the rain becomes acidic, but what you might not know is that the everyday rain is already very weakly acidic. Everyday rainwater usually has a pH of around 5-6. It has, however, been recorded to have a pH of less than 3 (rain water in in USA was once measured at pH 1.8!) and this is what we call acid rain. What Causes Acid Rain? Acid rain is caused by pollutant gases in the atmosphere dissolving in the rain water and making it acidic. There are three main gases responsible for acid rain. Pollutant Gas EdPlace Limited 2021 Where does it come from? What does it do? Page 2/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Carbon Dioxide Naturally exists in the atmosphere due to life processes such as respiration. Everyday rainwater is slightly acidic, due to carbon dioxide in the air dissolving to produce the very weak carbonic acid. Sulfur Dioxide Produced by factories through the burning of fossil fuels: Sulfur Dioxide will dissolve in the rainwater to produce strong sulfurous acid (leading to acid rain). Sulfur dioxide is also naturally produced during volcanic eruptions: Oxides of Nitrogen Produced by car engines Oxides of nitrogen will with the ignition is dissolve in the rainwater switched on: to produce strong nitric acid (leading to acid rain). Oxides of nitrogen are also naturally produced during lightning storms: EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 3/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 What Does Acid Rain Do? Acid rain is not usually strong enough to burn your skin and clothing, but it can have many detrimental effects on both the living and non-living things in our environment. How Can We Prevent Acid Rain? EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 4/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 All cars are now fitted with catalytic convertors to help convert the pollutant gases into less harmful ones. Petrol companies have also produced low sulfur petrol to help decrease the amount of sulfur dioxide produced. Some of the carbon dioxide in the air is unavoidable, as it naturally exists due to life processes. We could help prevent acid rain, however, by trying to produce less unnecessary CO2 through the use of alternative energy sources, which also helps to reduce the sulfur dioxide content of the air as much of this comes from low-grade fossil fuels. EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 5/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Question 1 What is the pH of everyday rain water? Answer 1 strongly acidic Answer 2 weakly acidic Answer 3 neutral Answer 4 weakly alkaline Answer 5 strongly alkaline Question 2 Which of the following gases contribute to the formation of acid rain? Answer 1 Oxygen Answer 2 Carbon Dioxide Answer 3 Sulfur Dioxide Answer 4 Oxides of Hydrogen Answer 5 Oxides of Nitrogen Answer 6 Sodium Oxide Question 3 Match up the correct pollutant gas with its source. Column A Carbon Dioxide Sulfur Dioxide Oxides of Nitrogen Column B Respiration Volcanic Eruptions Car Engines Question 4 EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 6/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 What is produced when sulfur dioxide dissolves in the rain water? Answer 1 Sulphurous Acid Answer 2 Sulphur Dioxide Answer 3 Sulphur Hyrdroxide Answer 4 Nitrogen Sulphate Question 5 Carbon dioxide dissolves in rain water to produce carbonic acid. Is carbonic acid strong or weak? Answer 1 weak Answer 2 strong Question 6 Which of the following can be caused by acid rain? Tick any that apply. Answer 1 damage to buildings Answer 2 damage to cars Answer 3 damage to plant life Answer 4 damage to aquatic life Answer 5 damage to stone structures Answer 6 damage to metal structures Question 7 What have petrol companies done to help prevent the acid rain? Answer 1 EdPlace Limited 2021 produced more fuel Page 7/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Answer 2 produced less fuel Answer 3 produced low sulfur fuel Answer 4 produced high sulfur fuel Question 8 What have all cars been fitted with to help convert pollutant gases into less harmful gases? Answer 1 Electric Converter Answer 2 Catalytic Converter Answer 3 Petrol Converter Answer 4 Pollution Converter Question 9 Which gas dissolves in water to produce Nitric Acid? Answer 1 Carbon Dioxide Answer 2 Sulfur Dioxide Answer 3 Oxides of Nitrogen Question 10 What is the pH of acid rain? Answer 1 strongly acidic Answer 2 weakly acidic Answer 3 neutral Answer 4 weakly alkaline Answer 5 strongly alkaline EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 8/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Answer 1 Correct Answers Answer 1 weakly acidic Answers Explanation Everyday rainwater usually has a pH of around 5-6, so it is weakly acidic (the lower the pH level, the more acidic the substance). Answer 2 Correct Answers Answer 1 Carbon Dioxide Answer 2 Sulfur Dioxide Answer 3 Oxides of Nitrogen Answers Explanation The main gases that contribute to acid rain are carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen. Answer 3 Correct Answers Column A Carbon Dioxide Sulfur Dioxide EdPlace Limited 2021 Column B Respiration Volcanic Eruptions Page 9/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Oxides of Nitrogen Car Engines Answers Explanation Carbon Dioxide is produced during respiration, as well as through other processes like burning. Sulfur Dioxide is caused by coal-burning power stations and volcanic eruptions, and Oxides of Nitrogen are caused by car engines and lightning storms. Answer 4 Correct Answers Answer 1 Sulphurous Acid Answers Explanation When sulphur dioxide dissolves in rain water, sulphurous acid is produced and, consequently, acid rain. Answer 5 Correct Answers Answer 1 weak Answers Explanation Carbonic acid is a weak substance, and would not harm our skin or clothes if we came into contact with it. EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 10/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Answer 6 Correct Answers Answer 1 damage to buildings Answer 2 damage to cars Answer 3 damage to plant life Answer 4 damage to aquatic life Answer 5 damage to stone structures Answer 6 damage to metal structures Answers Explanation All of the above can be caused by acid rain! It can cause cars and metal structures to rust a lot faster than usual, damage building and stone structures and harm living thing both on land and in the water. Answer 7 Correct Answers Answer 1 produced low sulfur fuel Answers Explanation A lot of sulfur dioxide is caused by car engines. So, by producing low sulfur fuel, petrol companies are helping to prevent acid rain. By using our cars less and working towards a less fossil-fuel dependent society, we help improve a variety of bad situations for our world. EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 11/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Answer 8 Correct Answers Answer 1 Catalytic Converter Answers Explanation All new cars are fitted with a Catalytic Converter - a device fixed in the car exhaust which converts harmful pollutant gases into less harmful ones. Answer 9 Correct Answers Answer 1 Oxides of Nitrogen Answers Explanation Oxides of Nitrogen are collectively known as NOx and when they dissolve in rain, the solutions produced contain acids, including nitric acid. Answer 10 Correct Answers Answer 1 strongly acidic Answers Explanation EdPlace Limited 2021 Page 12/13 Science worksheet Acid Rain Ref: SY1259T2990W3033 Acid rain usually has a pH 3 or lower, which is very worrying for life in the areas where it is this bad. Ponds and lakes have been known to become lifeless, trees die off and soils become unusable. That's why a lot of work is going into solving the problem of acid rain. EdPlace Limited 2021 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Page 13/13
