defining and exploring the causes and effects of Acid Rain

1. ACID RAIN
The KILLER RAIN

2. Rain is a form of precipitation. Its significance has been
very important and prevalent to the Earth’s ecosystem
since the beginning of time. It is a stage in the water
cycle which is constantly happening on Earth. It gives
and supplies water to every life in the biodiversity of the
planet.
As time goes by, human industrialization and
modernization has been continuously arising and is
spreading in our world. Modern cars and gigantic
factories were created. These infrastructures led to the
abundance of harmful smokes and smog in our
surroundings. The smoke coming from these
innovations has become a threat in our environment,
including the water cycle. These chemicals, coming from
the smoke, polluted our atmospheres and increased the
acidity of our atmospheric waters. These activities
became the major cause of the phenomenon acid rain.

3. DEFINITION
ACID RAIN
-Acid rain is a term referring to
a mixture of wet and dry
deposition (deposited
material) from the atmosphere
containing higher than normal
amounts of nitric and sulfuric
acids.

4. PROCESS
-Acid rain occurs when these gases
react in the atmosphere with water,
oxygen, and other chemicals to form
various acidic compounds. The result
is a mild solution of sulfuric acid and
nitric acid. When sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides are released from
power plants and other
sources, prevailing winds blow these
compounds across state and national
borders, sometimes over hundreds of
miles.

5. CAUSES
The precursors, or chemical forerunners,
of acid rain formation result from both
natural sources, such as volcanoes and
decaying vegetation, and man-made
sources, primarily emissions of sulfur
dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides
(NO) resulting from fossil fuel
combustion. Acid rain occurs when
these gases react in the atmosphere
with water, oxygen, and other chemicals
to form various acidic compounds.

6. EFFECTS
Acid deposition is very dangerous for trees and
forests because it rids the soil of very important
nutrients trees need to survive, like magnesium
and calcium. Without these vital nutrients, the
trees are more vulnerable to infections and
damage by cold weather and insects. Acid rain also
allows aluminum to seep into the soil, and with too
much aluminum in the soil, the trees have a very
hard time collecting water. Acid rain is even
thought to destroy the outer-coat of the leaf and
when it finally wears down, the acid can make its
way into the tree, which prevents photosynthesis
from taking place. Photosynthesis makes food and
energy for the plant, and without it, the plant or
tree dies.

7. With acid rainWithout acid
rain

8. STATISTICS
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000
GgSO2
Years
Emissions ofSulfurDioxide Per 25 Years
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Italy
France
Germany
Japan
U.K.
Belgium
Ireland
Finland
USA
Canada
Australia
KilogramsPerCapita
Countries
SulphurExideEmission

9. PREVENTION
The Earth is our home, but we, humans, are abusing
everything that is building up our planet. With these,
we are expecting dangerous and tremendous
phenomena. One of these is acid rain, which
continuously kills our beautiful forests and our
majestic water forms. It also ruins the lives of every
organism that is living in our planet. Let us help
together in changing our ways. We must prevent the
use of harmful chemicals in our factories to prevent
the production of smog that damages and pollutes
our atmosphere which causes too much acidity in the
rain. Because if we help together as a united nation,
our efforts will have a beautiful effect to save our
home, our Earth, our lovely abode, to be a better
place for us, humans, and for the children of
tomorrow.