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    Acid Rain Long Question

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    Its Maria Jerónimo
    Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from human and natural sources react with water in the atmosphere. Human sources include the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and vehicle emissions, which produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases then react with oxygen and water to form sulfuric and nitric acid, causing acid rain. Acid rain harms both urban and natural environments by corroding infrastructure, damaging vegetation, acidifying soils and waterways, and negatively impacting ecosystems.

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    Acid Rain Long Question

    Uploaded by

    Its Maria Jerónimo
    12 views2 pages
    Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from human and natural sources react with water in the atmosphere. Human sources include the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and vehicle emissions, which produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases then react with oxygen and water to form sulfuric and nitric acid, causing acid rain. Acid rain harms both urban and natural environments by corroding infrastructure, damaging vegetation, acidifying soils and waterways, and negatively impacting ecosystems.

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    Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from human and natural sources react with water in the atmosphere. Human sources include the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and vehicle emissions, which produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases then react with oxygen and water to form sulfuric and nitric acid, causing acid rain. Acid rain harms both urban and natural environments by corroding infrastructure, damaging vegetation, acidifying soils and waterways, and negatively impacting ecosystems.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    12 views2 pages

    Acid Rain Long Question

    Uploaded by

    Its Maria Jerónimo
    Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from human and natural sources react with water in the atmosphere. Human sources include the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and vehicle emissions, which produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases then react with oxygen and water to form sulfuric and nitric acid, causing acid rain. Acid rain harms both urban and natural environments by corroding infrastructure, damaging vegetation, acidifying soils and waterways, and negatively impacting ecosystems.

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    Description of how emissions form acid rain

     What is Acid rain?

    Broad term that includes any form of precipitation that contains acidic components such as
    sulfuric acid or nitric acid. The type of acid rain that contains water is called wet deposition. Acid
    rain formed from with dust or gases is called dry deposition. It nearly affects everything, from
    cities, statues and buildings – urban environment; to rivers, ponds and forests – non-urban
    environment

     Emissions form acid rain – Natural and Human/anthropogenic

    -Human

     Fossil fuels burnt in power stations contains sulfur impurities


     When fossil fuels are burnt, they form sulfur dioxide
     Sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen to form sulfur trioxide
     Sulfur trioxide reacts with water in atmosphere to form sulfuric acid
     Nitrogen from the atmosphere reacts with oxygen in the high temperatures of vehicle
    exhausts to form nitrogen monoxide gas
     Nitrogen monoxide gas is released into the atmosphere in vehicle emissions
     Nitrogen monoxide gas reacts with oxygen and water in the atmosphere to form nitric acid

    -Natural

     High levels of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are emitted gases during volcanic
    eruptions
     Air currents may move acidic particles to other locations
     In the atmosphere oxygen and water are available so sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen to
    form sulfur trioxide and then with water to form sulfuric acid
     The sulfuric acid gives the rainwater a ph of below 5.6 – known as acid rain
     If water – precipitation – are not available in the atmosphere acid particles settle on the
    Earth’s surface as dry acidic dust particles – acid deposition
     Eventually, these gases rise and are transferred by wind and mix with water vapour to
    produce acid rain.
     This forms sulfuric acid and nitric acid – acid rain

     Impact on the environment – urban environment and non-urban environment

    -Non-urban Environment

     Leaves and buds become yellow


     Effect on coniferous forests (pine forests have cones)
     Acid rain affects trees by removing nutrients from the soil and damaging leaves which affects
    photosynthesis
     Growth rates reduced
     Acid rain leaches aluminium from the soil which may be harmful to plants and animals
     Soil particles do not keep nutrients (Ca, Mg, K)
     Toxic aluminium ions damage roots
     Trees are weakened and die
     Crop yield reduced as rate of photosynthesis reduced due to damage of leaves
     Aluminium released from soil ends up in streams and rivers – this disturbs the fish’s ability to
    regulate intake of oxygen – fish suffocate
     Organisms in lake and rivers may not be able to tolerate the acidic conditions – complete
    absence of life and food chain disruption
     Difficulty forming eggs, effect on fish gills and defoliation of leaves
     Limited species able to tolerate acidic conditions
     Reduces soil fertility by removing calcium, magnesium and potassium ions which are then
    washed out of soil
     Reduces nitrogen-fixing bacteria
     Lichen species are reduced.

    -Urban Environment

     Effects human constructions


     Limestone buildings and statues dissolves
     Corrodes buildings and their metallic elements – loss of details and deterioration of the
    cultural heritage
     Dry deposition (small particles of sulphates and nitrates get into lungs causing lung disease,
    asthma and bronchitis)
     Premature deaths
     Can cause significant visibility problems
     Chemical weathering of rocks and building speed up
     Makes cities less attractive by yellowing statues
     Damage concrete foundations making them swell, crack and crumble; homes end up
    damaged
     Can cause brain damage, kidney problems and Alzheimer disease
     Railways are corroded as well as airplanes
     Bridges collapse due to corrosion
     Dissolves mortar of buildings and stone work

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