its about acid rain

1. ACID RAIN

2. What is the pH of rain?
•Pure water has a pH of 7 – neutral (neither an acid nor
a base)
•Normal precipitation is slightly acidic (pH =5.6)
because carbon dioxide (CO2)n the air mixes with rain
water to form a weak acid called carbonic acid.
•H2O + CO2 H2CO3

3. How does acid rain
form?
• Factories that
burn fossil fuels
release sulfur
dioxide(SO2) and
nitrous
oxides(NOx )
• Cars that burn
fossil fuels
release nitrous
oxides. (NOx )

4. How does acid
precipitation form?
• Sulfur and nitrous
oxides combine with
water in the
atmosphere to form
sulfuric acid and nitric
acid
H2O + SO2H2SO4
H2O + N2OxHNO3
• These strong acids
lower the pH of rain
more than H2CO3

5. So where does it come from and where is it
going?
• Acid rain follows the winds.
• It starts in places where there
are a lot of coal-fired power
plants and factories and ends
up wherever the wind blows it
• Point or Non-point Source
Pollution ??
Prevailing Winds in N. America

6. Acid Precipitation and Humans
1) Toxic metals (aluminum and mercury) can be released into the
environment.
• These toxic metals get into crops, water, and fish.
• The toxins then poison the humans who eat the crops, water and fish.

7. Acid Precipitation and Humans
2) Research has indicated that there may be a connection between
large amounts of acid precipitation and an increase in respiratory
problems in a community’s children

8. Acid Precipitation and Humans
3) Fisherman can’t fish because the number of fish is decreased
because by acidification of lakes
The Forestry industry is also affected because trees are damaged by
acid precipitation.

9. Acid Precipitation and Humans
4) Acid precipitation can dissolve the calcium carbonate in
common building materials, such as concrete.
As a result, some of the worlds most important and historic
monuments, including those made of marble are being
affected.