Dahabra 1

Zaid Dahabra

Susan Ibrahim

Science MYP 1

20 Nov 2019

Acid Rain

Acid Rain is a widespread problem affecting our environment, which has harmful effect

on plant, animal and human. It caused by the release of sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides to air

from natural resources and human activity. So, what is acid rain and how it forms?

Acid rain is the term that refers to any form of precipitation that have acidic components,

such as nitric or sulfuric acid, generally has a PH 4.2 to 4.4. The Scottish chemist Robert Angus

Smith coined the acid rain term in 1852, while examining rainwater chemistry near industrial

cities in England and Scotland. It forms as a result of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides

(NOX) reaction with water droplets after emitted into the atmosphere. But what are the types and

sources of these acids?

Majorly acid rain is caused by both human activities and natural sources, the burning of

fossil fuels and volcanic eruption leads to the emission of Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen

oxides (NO2) to the atmosphere, were they reacting with oxygen and other chemicals forming,

Sulfurous, nitrous and nitric acids. While natural resources such as volcanic eruption, hot springs

and even natural decay, are responsible for a small portion of the Sulfur dioxide formation, but

most of it comes from pollutants released from chemical reaction when burning fossil fuels such
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as coal and oil mainly in power stations and factories. Thus, nitrogen oxides arise from the

exhausts of motor vehicles and heavy equipment causing the formation of nitric and nitrous acids

that released to the atmosphere. In addition, Lightning strokes normally cause the formation of

nitrogen oxides.

Acid rain has many ecological effects, on plants, soil, aquatic environment, buildings,

and even statues. It makes water more acidic, leading to the absorption of more aluminum from

soil, which is carried into streams and lakes, result in making the water toxic to aquatic animals,

which in turn affect non aquatic species throughout the food chain. In addition, acid rain has a

very bad effect on trees, as it robs the soil essential nutrients, which makes water up take hard. It

also inhibits trees reproduction. It also affects human health by causing and lung problems in

children and adults. On other hand, it deteriorates marble and limestone monuments and

buildings.

However, as we cannot control the air pollutants released by volcanic eruption, but we

can reduce the air pollutants released from human activities by reducing the consumption of

fossil fuel by using cleaner sources of energy such as wind, water, solar energy, hydroelectric

and nuclear power. Also, government should take serious action to make power stations and

factories to use fitted equipment in power station to remove emission of Sulphur dioxide and

Nitrogen oxides, and cars to mounted catalytic converter on the exhaust pipe to converts carbon

dioxides, nitrogen oxides, and unburned hydrocarbons into a cleaner state.

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In conclusion, Acid Rain is a very serious issue that affect plant, animal, human, and

environment. So, effort should be taken to on personal and globule level to reduce this problem.
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Works Cited

“Acid Rain Formation.” Learn Pick, www.learnpick.in/prime/documents/ppts/details/4142/acid-

rain.

“Acid Rain: Causes, Effects and Solutions.” LiveScience, Purch, www.livescience.com/63065-

acid-rain.html.

Burns, Douglas A., et al. “Acid Rain and Its Environmental Effects: Recent Scientific Advances.”

Atmospheric Environment, 3 Nov. 2016, www. pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70178109.

Iberdrola Corporativa. “Acid Rain, a True Danger to Living Beings.” Iberdrola,

www.iberdrola.com/environment/acid-rain.

Images, David Woodfall/Getty. “Acid Rain.” Acid Rain Facts and Information, 21 Feb. 2018,

www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/acid-rain/.

Mason, Basil J. Acid Rain: Its Causes and Its Effects on Inland Waters. Clarendon Press, 1992.

“What Is Acid Rain?” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 18 Apr. 2019,

www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain.
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Appendix

Figure. 1. Acid Rain Formation, “Acid Rain Formation.” Learn Pick,

www.learnpick.in/prime/documents/ppts/details/4142/acid-rain.

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Figure. 2. Cause And consequence Of Acid Rain, Iberdrola Corporativa. “Acid Rain, a True
Danger to Living Beings.” Iberdrola, www.iberdrola.com/environment/acid-rain.