2. Acid
rain is basically rain that
has a higher than normal acid
level (low pH).
It
has harmful effects on plants,
aquatic animals, and
infrastructure.
3.
When gas pollutants dissolve in
rain water, various acids are
formed.
CO2 + H2O
SO2 + H2O
NO2+ H2O
H2CO3(carbonic acid)
H2SO3(sulphorous acid)
HNO2(nitrous acid) +
HNO3(nitric acid)
4.
5. Burning
coal. Oil and natural gas
in power stations makes
electricity, giving off
sulphurdioxide gas.
Burning
petrol and oil in vehicle
engines gives off nitrogen oxides
as gases.
6. These
gases mix
with water vapour
and rainwater in
the atmosphere
producing weak
solutions of
sulphuric and nitric
acids–which fall as
acid rain.
8. Humans
can become seriously ill
and
can even die from
the effects of acid rain.
Acid rain can cause respiratory
problems especially people who
have asthma.
9. Research
carried out in North
America in 1982, revealed that
sulphur pollution killed 51,000
people and about
200,000 people
become ill as a result
of the pollution.
10. Acid
rain dissolves the stonework
and mortar of buildings.
It
reacts with the minerals in the
stone to form a powdery
substance that can be washed
away by rain.
11. The
needles and
leaves of the tree
turn into brown
and fall off.
Wear away the
waxy cuticle on
the leaves.
12. It
also happens when
trees absorb soil that
has come into
contact with acid
rain. The soil
poisons the tree with
toxic substances that
the rain has
deposited into it.
13. When
the lake becomes more
acid, the water becomes clearer
and fish begin to deform or die.
They are affected
quickly by the dilute
acid.
14. The
acidity of the water also
releases aluminium into the
water from the soil.
If
a species of animal dies then
the animal which feeds from it
will die too.
15. Currently,
both the railway
industry and the aeroplane
industry are having to spend a
lot of money to repair the
corrosive damage done by
acid rain. Also, bridges have
collapsed in the past due to acid
rain corrosion.
17. Sulphur
dioxide can be
removed from power stations
chimneys but this process is
expensive.
Use renewable energy like
wind power, solar panels, tidal
power, HEP schemes and
geothermal energy.
18. Reduce
we use
•
•
the amount of electricity
turn tv’s off at the mains, don’t
leave on stand by.
turn off lights when a room is
not in use.
19. Fit
catalytic converters to vehicle
exhausts which remove the
nitrogen oxides.
Limit the number of vehicles on
the roads and increase public
transport.
