Acid and alkalis Lesson 4

1. Acid rain
Target
To know that fossil fuels produce acid rain
Wednesday, 18 June 2008

2. Burning fuel
All fuels contain
hydrocarbons –
molecules which have
carbon and oxygen
atoms in their structure
– they produce waste
gases when they burn.

3. Waste gases
• The waste gases are
carbon dioxide (turns
limewater milky
white) and water
vapour.
• If the fuel burns in a
limited oxygen supply
poisonous carbon
monoxide will form.

4. Burning gas as a fuel
Natural gas is methane – it also produces carbon
dioxide and water vapour

5. What is pollution?
““It’s not pollution that’s ruiningIt’s not pollution that’s ruining
our environment – it’s theour environment – it’s the
impurities in the air and water”impurities in the air and water”
– U.S President George Bush– U.S President George Bush

6. What is pollution?
Pollution is the release ofPollution is the release of
chemicals into the environmentchemicals into the environment
at such high levels that theyat such high levels that they
cause damage. A chemical thatcause damage. A chemical that
is causing damage is known as ais causing damage is known as a
pollutant.pollutant.

7. What is in the air?
Unscramble these words which are all inorganic (non living)
things that can be found in the air around us.
XYGONEXYGONE
ROBCAN IOXDIEDROBCAN IOXDIED
GRITNONEGRITNONE
PUSHURL EXIDDIOPUSHURL EXIDDIO
BARNCO MOODEXINBARNCO MOODEXIN
ORGENTIN SIXDEOORGENTIN SIXDEO
DEALDEAL
STUDSTUD
SKOMESKOME
SCALETAPRUITSCALETAPRUIT
Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen
Sulphur dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen oxides
Particulates
Smoke
Dust
Lead20 %
79 %

8. Problems with polluting gases
The polluting gases produced by fuels react with water
to make acid rain. The acid rain kills trees and plants
and corrodes buildings.

9. Acid rain

10. Acid rain
Weak acid rain forms when carbon dioxide dissolves in
water.
Strong acid rain is produced when sulphur dioxide
dissolves in water

11. Reducing acid rain
We can reduce the amount of acid rain by using
low sulphur petrol and by removing sulphur
dioxide from fumes given off when burning fuel
in a factory.

12. Questions
Pages 130 to 131 of Core Science 2

13. True or false?
• The most abundant gas in air is oxygen?
• The air would be better if it had no
carbon dioxide in it?
• One way of assessing pollution in the past
is to look at old medical records?
• Lichen usually grows where there is lots
of pollution?
• Using less electricity can help to reduce
some forms of pollution?
• Car manufacturers are designing cars to
produce less pollution?
F
F
F
T
T
T