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Effects of Acid Rain on an Ecosystem
Acid rain is a widespread problem found all over the world. It is the result of chemicals from burned fossil fuel mixing with moisture in the atmosphere andfalling to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, etc. Acid deposition is a more precisename than acid rain because acid can fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, hail,and anything else. It can also combine with dry particles and fall to the ground;therefore it is called dry deposition whereas acid coming down in rain is calledwet deposition.People have known about air pollution since the philosopher Seneca remarkedon Rome's polluted skies in AD 61. Even though people were aware of the problem they ignored they it. Up until the last century people have ignored the problem of air pollution including air pollution's most dangerous problem, acidrain. Acid rain is devastating to the ecosystem and is one of the most pressingenvironmental issues today.Acid rain forms in the atmosphere from chemicals created by the burning of fossil fuels. When coal and oil are burned they release sulfur dioxide (SO
2
) andtwo nitric oxides, nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO
2
) designated by thesymbol NO
X.
These dangerous chemicals come from the smoke that pours fromfactory chimneys and exhaust from car tail pipes. Once released, sulfur dioxideand nitrogen oxides react with other chemicals in the air, water vapor, andsunlight to produce sulfuric and nitric acids, the acids in acid rain. The moresulfuric and nitric acids present, the higher the acidity of the rain. On a 14 pointscale, 7 being neutral, anything less than 7 is considered acidic and anythingmore is considered alkaline. Battery acid is about 1 acidity and lemon juice isaround 2 acidity. Regular rain is between 5 and 6 acidity. Acid rain is somewhere between 2 and 5.5. The worst case of acid rain ever recorded was in Wheeling,West Virginia where the rain had an acidity of 2.2. These levels of acidityseriously harm plants, trees, and all other life.All over the world, acid levels are rising which endangers trees, lakes,streams, drinking water supplies, monuments, and animal life. Basicallyeverything is effected by acid rain. Not only life is effected, but also buildings(such as national monuments), roads, even metals on cars and bridges.When acid rain occurs, it doesn't immediately effect acidity in lakes andstreams. The water dilutes the acid so only over a long period of time can thewater become too acidic. In the spring, something called acid shock can happen.Snow, that contains acid, can build up and when it melts all the acid runs into the
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Effects of Acid Rain on an Ecosystem
this is a awareness step
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| Upload Date: | 10/20/2009 |
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