Causes, Effects and Remedies of Acid Rain

Teodora Radojkovic
Mr. Patric Youell
9B Science

Causes, Effects and Remedies of Acid Rain

This blog is about understanding acidic rain, its causes, effects and remedies. By definition, acidic rain is a rainfall that contains acid made by climatic pollution and causes some type of harm for the surroundings. Normal rain is also slightly acidic because of carbon dioxide and water reacting in the air together to form really weak acid, which is carbolic acid. If the pH goes under the level of this acid it becomes acid rain. 

The acidic rain is mainly caused by humans actions, like burning fossil fuels from factories and cars, especially in the urban areas where is a lot of traffic. When fossil fuels are burned, chemicals sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen (NOx) are freed to the air, they combine with liquids to make acidic droplets. Acid rain usually forms high in the sky, where it also reacts with water and oxygen. Rain, fog, snow or other types of precipitations help acid rain to fall on Earth. Wind can carry gases up to 800 km from the source of pollution until it falls as acid rain.
Besides human actions, acid rain can also be caused by nature. One of the main natural causes of acid rain are volcanic emissions. When volcanoes erupt they tend to release the gasses that again go to the air and mix and react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to, at the end, make acid rain.

Figure 1: formation of acid rain

https://www.google.rs/search?q=acid+rain+definition&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiRmt7a_LbMAhXFCsAKHRxHD-gQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=acid+rain+&imgrc=EDYJwRhQB10H-M%3A

Figure 2: Natural cause of acid rain, a volcano
https://www.google.rs/search?q=acid+rain+definition&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiRmt7a_LbMAhXFCsAKHRxHD-gQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=acid+rain+natural+causes+volcanoes&imgrc=BHTQ8wPDxcMThM%3A

Acid rain can have very dangerous effects on environment and human health. 

First off, the effect on lakes, seas, rivers and other waters where acid rain falls in. If acid rain falls into the water, it lowers the water's pH. Acidic rain can lower pH level to the point where adult fish can not survive. It brings down the biodiversity of waters.

Acid rain damages forests, especially ones that are higher up the mountains. It destroys tree's leaves and makes them take cold worse, which leads to more diseases. It also stops trees from growing.
Acid rain makes a lot of damage on buildings and architecture. It makes buildings weak, and also makes holes and sometimes even melts down the sculptures that are exposed to acid rain.
If humans are exposed to acid rain it can lead to serious health problems. If acid is in dry form in air it can cause lung problems like asthma.

Figure 3: effect on fish that lived in water affected with acid rain
https://www.google.rs/search?q=acid+rain+definition&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiRmt7a_LbMAhXFCsAKHRxHD-gQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=acid+rain+causes&imgrc=y8KNvu7Uo8QKbM%3A

There are a couple of ways that humans could help and prevent the acid rain problem. The most obvious one is, stop, or at least lower, burning of fossil fuels that cause making gases. Which means driving cars less and using more of public transportation, riding bikes or even walking to some destinations if possible. 

Humans could also use less of electric energy. According to National Geographic's, if people use less electricity in their homes, "the fewer chemical power plants will emit". 

Another way of preventing acid rain is using more of natural energy sources, such as solar energy, wind energy or nuclear power. This one also goes to the addition of the first solution of stopping burning fuels.

Restoring environments that were left damaged after acid rain could help prevent more of it happening, because it could stop pH to drop and acid to spread further more. 

It is important for humans to be aware of how dangerous acid rain can be and the damage that it can make. If more people know about acid rain, its causes and effects, more individuals can do a lot to help preventing more acid rain happening. For example, they decide to walk to the supermarket or the work for a moth, or use less electricity in home. It would take a while to see the results, but every small thing will help at the time. 

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/acid-rain-overview/

http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstnrhx/EnviroBio%20Projects/AcidRain/causes.html