Acid Precipitation: A Case Study
Using these pages, the rest of your textbook, and your notebook, answer the following questions:
1. What is acid precipitation? Give 3 examples of acid precipitation. (2 marks)
Any precipitation with a pH of less than 5.6 (the pH of normal rainwater)
Ex. Acid rain, acid dew, acid snow, acid fog
2. You have been asked to find out if the snow in Thornhill is acidic. Your teacher gives you a bucket of
snow and any laboratory equipment or chemicals you want. Using your knowledge about acids and
bases;
a) Identify two (2) tests you could perform to determine if the snow is acidic? (2 marks)
Litmus test, pH test, bromthymol blue
b) What results would you expect for each test? (2 marks)
Red litmus  red
blue litmus  red
pH  change colour on scale
Bromthymol blue  yellow phenolthphalein  colourless
3. Explain why CO2, SO2, and NO3 cause acid rain? Your answer should include at least 1 word equation!
(2 marks)
All three compounds are acidic oxides (non-metal oxide)
Non-metal oxide + water  acid
4. What human activities contribute to the amounts of CO2, SO2, and NO3 in the air? Be specific. (2 marks)
Transportation (car burning fuel); industry (combustion of fuels); forest fires, agriculture, combustion
Examine the weather maps of Canada and the United States below. Use these maps to help answer questions
5 – 7.
Weather Map for January 13, 2000
Weather Map for January 14, 2000
5. If a factory in Chicago, Illinois releases a cloud of sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide in the morning and it
travels at 30 km/h [N25E], how long will it take for the pollutants to reach Toronto?
Assume that 1 cm = 430 km. Show all your work. (3 marks)
V= 30 km/ h [N25E
V= d/t
t = d/v
d= 1.6 cm = 688 km
t = 688 km/30 km./h = 23 h
Would take 23 h to reach Toronto.
6. Calculate the speed of low pressure system L over the past 24 hr (as it moves towards Chicago). Assume
that 1 cm = 430 km. Show all your work. (3 marks)
~1.5 cm = 645 km
v=d/t
d= 645 km
t = 24 h
v = 645 km/ 24 h = 27 km/h
The speed of the low pressure system is 27 km/ h.
7. Based on what you know about winds, which city (Vancouver or Montreal), would be most at risk from a
cloud of sulfur dioxide produced in Regina? Justify your answer. (2 marks)
Montreal  mid latitude westerlies move in a west to east direction  blowing the pollution from west to
east!
8. Acid precipitation is not the only global problem caused by air pollutants. Describe 1 other global
problem caused by the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. What will be the long term
consequences to Earth’s climate? The answer should be in YOUR OWN WORDS! (3 marks)
Global Warming  see pages 625-628 for answers
Greenhouse effect 
9. Acid precipitation has an effect on all ecosystems. Choose your favourite ecosystem and explain at least
3 ways acid precipitation would affect it. For full marks, give specific examples and use appropriate
vocabulary. The answer should be in YOUR OWN WORDS! (4 marks)
See pages 308 –311 for answers
10. You have been hired to reduce and control the effects of acid precipitation in Canada. Identify 3 actions
that could be taken by individuals, industry, or government that would help reduce acid precipitation and/
or minimize its effects on the environment. Briefly explain how each action would be beneficial. The
answer should be in YOUR OWN WORDS! (5 marks)
See pages 308 –311 for answers, neutralizing acids, etc…
Acid Precipitation: A Case Study
Using your textbook, your notebook, and your own knowledge of science, answer the following questions:
1. What is acid precipitation? Give 3 examples of acid precipitation. (2 marks)
2. You have been asked to find out if the snow in Thornhill is acidic. Your teacher gives you a bucket of
snow and any laboratory equipment or chemicals you want. Using your knowledge about acids and
bases;
a) Identify two (2) tests you could perform to determine if the snow is acidic? (2 marks)
b) What results would you expect for each test? (2 marks)
3. Explain why CO2, SO2, and NO3 cause acid rain? Your answer should include at least 1 word equation!
(2 marks)
4. What human activities contribute to the amounts of CO2, SO2, and NO3 in the air? Be specific. (2 marks)
Examine the weather maps of Canada and the United States below. Use these maps to help answer questions
5 – 7.
Weather Map for January 13, 2000
Weather Map for January 14, 2000
5. If a factory in Chicago, Illinois releases a cloud of sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide in the morning and it
travels at 30 km/h [N25E], how long will it take for the pollutants to reach Toronto?
Assume that 1 cm = 430 km. Show all your work. (3 marks)
6. Calculate the speed of low pressure system L over the past 24 hr (as it moves towards Chicago). Assume
that 1 cm = 430 km. Show all your work. (3 marks)
7. Based on what you know about winds, which city (Vancouver or Montreal), would be most at risk from
a cloud of sulfur dioxide produced in Regina? Justify your answer. (2 marks)
8. Acid precipitation is not the only global problem caused by air pollutants. Describe 1 other global
problem caused by the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. What will be the long term
consequences to Earth’s climate? The answer should be in YOUR OWN WORDS! (3 marks)
9. Acid precipitation has an effect on all ecosystems. Choose your favourite ecosystem and explain at least
3 ways acid precipitation would affect it. For full marks, give specific examples and use appropriate
vocabulary. The answer should be in YOUR OWN WORDS! (4 marks)
10. You have been hired to reduce and control the effects of acid precipitation in Canada. Identify 3 actions
that could be taken by individuals, industry, or government that would help reduce acid precipitation and/
or minimize its effects on the environment. Briefly explain how each action would be beneficial. The
answer should be in YOUR OWN WORDS! (5 marks)