Acid Rain

ACID RAIN

What is it?
Acid rain is like normal participation that can occur in many forms such as snow, fog, hail, rain, etc. , but it contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. It can also come in two main forms; dry deposition and wet deposition. Wet deposition is when acidic rain forms in wet structures such as rain, snow, etc. which is most commonly seen. When it comes in dry position, the acidic particles in the air mix with other gases making a moisture. Soon the moisture attaches to some type of surface (such as a person, food, pet, building, soccer ball,etc.), as for a human or pet this can lead to some health problems. As soon as the acidic rain washes off the object and onto the ground it can harm the surface of the ground containing plants and other animals.https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain

How is it made?
Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) make chemical reactions in the atmosphere and then carried around by air currents causing it to become dry/wet deposition acidic rain. The sulfuric and nitric acids in the air are created when SO2 and NOX mix with water, air, dirt, and other chemicals. 
https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/whatcauses.html

What causes it to happen?
Most acidic rain comes from pollution made by human activity like power plants and factories. When humans burn fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil it releases the sulfuric and nitric oxides into the atmosphere. This isn't the only way, also running cars and buses release these oxides into the air, and if there is a lot of it, there is most likely a forecast of acid rain soon.

this photo describes the process acid rain goes through in order for it to be created https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain 
 
What effects does it leave on us and the environment?
If a human inhales acid rain or even swims in a lake with acidic rain or runs in acid rain (without knowing) it can cause health problems such as lung and heart disorders, bronchitis, and asthma. https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects-acid-rain Acid rain is also very harmful to many types of ecosystems and the wildlife and plants living within them. For example when acid rain rains in a forest, the acids fall into the ground and mix in the soil. The sulfuric and nitric oxides harm the growing of trees,bushes,etc. because the oxides dissolve the nutrients and calcium in the ground that is used to help trees grow and give life to the forest (and other plants and animals). Or if the acid rain falls into the lake it can harm humans who decide to go swim in it because they inhale the air around the lake, but also if they might accidentally swallow the water. It can also hurt the animals and plants in or around the lake, although it was discovered that some animals are tolerable around acidic rain, but many aren't. When acid rain appears frequently in the environment it can cause a lot of problems. The grass and bushes won't grow too much and won't have enough nutrients, and when animals want to feed on food they find not find any because there isn't so much food. In a lake or river, some fish can survive acidic rain, but most adult fish die and with acidic rain in the water most fish eggs can't even hatch because of the high levels of acids. Lack of nutrients and food for species of animals, or a decreasing population seen in the species can effect the food chain. https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects-acid-rain 

this photo gives examples of animals that can tolerate acidic rain only to specific pH levels https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects-acid-rain 




How is acidic rain measured?
When people measure the acidity of the acid rain they use the pH meter, which determines how acidic or how basic (alkaline) an acid or base is. The scale goes from 0-14, any numbers from 0-6/7 means that it is an acid (0 being the strongest), 7 is neutral meaning it's neither very acidic or very basic, numbers from 8-14 means that it is a base (14 being the strongest). Unpolluted rain will have a pH between 5 and 6, so it cannot really harm you, and acid rain has a pH of about 4.
 http://webprojects.oit.ncsu.edu/project/bio183de/Black/chemreview/chemreview_reading/acid_rain.html

here is a pH scale determining strong alkalines and acids and the neutral types and a few examples of some below. https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain 


What are people doing to help this problem?
Scientists are finding ways of reducing the amount of sulfur and nitric oxides being released while burning fossil fuels. A suggestion that was made was burning coal that contains less sulfur, also many power plants now have special machines called scrubbers that eliminates the sulfur oxide in the leftover gases in the smokestack. Also some power plants are changing the way they burn coal, because the way nitrogen oxides are created is during the process of burning coal. Many governments are also trying to spend more of their money on making solutions or remedies to pollution problems like this one. Fossil fuels make energy, as well as acid rain, so people nowadays try to use wind and solar power instead of burning fossil fuels. Car manufacturers also try to put catalytic converters in their cars because it reduces the amount of sulfuric and nitric oxides and other pollutants coming out of the car. https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/beingdone.html 

Acid Rain Milica 9A

Acid Rain

Acid rain had been harming our planet for many years, mostly due to human activities. The burning of fossil fuels releases gases like Carbon monoxide and Sulfur dioxide. These gases become part of the clouds and the rain turns acidic. There are factories all over the world that burn fossil fuels, which is why Acid Rain has become a very big issue globally.

Figure 1: Acid Rain World Map 

Carbon monoxide is released when the fuels are burnt in a limited amount of air, the gas has no smell or taste to it but it can cause tiredness, dizziness, unconsciousness and even death if it's breathed in. Sulfur dioxide on the other hand, has a sharp and choking smell to it and is released after the burning of coal and oil. Once it evaporates into the clouds, it makes the rain or snow even more acidic. The acid rain destroys the waxy layer on leaves, which makes it more difficult for the trees to absorb minerals that they need to survive. Acid rain can also make lakes and rivers become too acidic for any marine life to survive in them.

Figure 2: Diagram of how Acid Rain is made 

Lichens are associated with fungus or alga, they occur as crusty or bushy growths on trees. Lichens  are widely used as a biological indicator of sulfur dioxide pollution, because they grow on very exposed areas such as trees, barks and rocks. Most lichens need very clean or little polluted air to grow. Only a few lichens can tolerate highly polluted air, they can then be found on pavements, walls and tree bark in urban areas. The most sensitive lichens are the leafy and shrubby ones, while the least sensitive ones, have a crusty look to them.

Figure 3: Lichen on a tree

The first thing anyone can do to help control acid rain, is to understand the problem. Energy production creates large amounts of the pollutants that cause acid rain, one thing anyone can do, is to turn off any electrical equipment that is not being used (laptop, lights heaters, air conditioners..) Some could try to use things that require less energy. Another major thing that people could do, is drive their car less, this would decrease the amount of CO2 released into the air.

Effects and Causes of Acidic Rain

Elzbieta Janusauskaite 
Mr. Patrick Youell
9A Sciences
4.10.16

Effects and Causes of Acidic Rain

By definition acidic rain is rainfall or other percipitant (such as snow), that contains a high concentration of acids produced by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. It is thus dangerous to the Earth and its plantlife and wildlife. The irony is in the cause of acidic rain; why, or rather how, is it that the very pollutants that kill the world are both a cause of human actions, and a danger to our very own health?

I will firstly adress the causes of acidic rain. It is created by the emittance of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide compounds into the atosphere, which in turn mix with H2O and hydrogen, and in so doing create acidic pollutants. As the substances creates weight very little, they are carried around by the wind and create rain, sleet, snow, and even fog. Human activity is, without doubt, the leading cause of acidic rain; air polluting sources including mass producing factories, power generators, and automobiles. The production and burning of coal, and other fossils is a leadining contributor to the gaseuos emissions. Other natural sources of pollution are volcanic eruptions; they release gasses that not only affect the vegetation of local farms but the health of the population living around the area. Dimenthly sulfide is an element produced, which is a boilogical contributor to sukfur. Lighting bolts are also a an exmample of natural pollutants, they produce nitric oxides that mix with water molecules, and therefore produce nitric acid.

Fig 1. Effects of Acid Rain: Deforestation

According to National Geographic , the effects of acid rain are extensive, though none more than those affecting biodivesity and ecology. The rain pollutes not only lakes, but steams and river and in so doing causes grave danger to its aquatic populations. Just like a virus would affect a man, wekaening its systems, acidic rain perpetuates an 'ilness' in tress that leave them in danger of disease, which can be seen in Figure 1.  When acid rain reaches the surface of a water body, the water is accumulated and in time lessens the PH of the water, therefore killing aquatic animals (animals need to have a PH of at least 4.8 to be able to survive in water). Acid rain also affects forests, when it hits the trees it not only dissolves the leaves, but corrupts the bark. The acid can also alter the biological activity as well as the chemical composition of soil and its PH. In relation to the pollution of trees and soil, acidic soil also damages vegetation. Finaly, I will disuss the effects of acid rain on humans and their daily lives. Buildings that are build with limestone are open to corrosion, as well as the many other metal made things. Although, there are no direct affects of acid rain on the public, if high concentrations of gaseous particles are inhaled, they can further lead to heart and lung problems, as well as sicknesses such as bronchitis or asthma. 

Proposed solutions include the clean up of exhaust pipes and smokestacks, restorations of damaged enviroments,  and the usage of new alterante energy sources. Policies and other actions on national and international levels should contribute to the reduction of SO2 and NOx emissions as well as inspire other to contribute to the "revival of the Earth" through little actions, that though small will in the end provoke a positive chnage. We should not be victims of our own fatal actions.