D

Through a natural process called the water cycle, we get rain. Normal rain is not
neutral like pure water but is slightly acidic at around a pH of 5.6. As a reference,
the pH of pure water is 7, while the pH of a strong acid like vinegar is between 2
to 3. Acid rain has a pH of less than 5.6. Industrial areas have been reported to
have acid rain that is below a pH of 2.4. Rainwater is naturally acidic because
carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere reacts with water to form carbonic acid.
But sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide molecules that result from industrial
pollution and automobile exhaust get into the air and react with water to form
strong acids. These acids are the cause of acid rain. The formulae for acid rain is
SO3 + H2O H2SO4. The materials used in construction of buildings or statues can
be affected by acid rain. Buildings can be damaged by acid rain because it
dissolves the stone or corrodes the metal that is exposed to the weather. Before
people became aware of the problems that acid rain could cause for buildings,
they used limestone and marble, as building material that would be exposed to
rain and fog. These types of material contain calcium carbonate or calcium-based
compounds, which can be dissolved by acid rain. Sandstone is more resistant to
being dissolved by acid rain, but black deposits can form on the outside of it over
time.
Sulphur dioxide plus water makes sulphurous acid
SO2 + H2O --> H2SO3
Sulphur trioxide plus water makes sulphuric acid
SO3 + H2O --> H2SO4
The sulphuric acid then further reacts with the limestone in a neutralization
reaction.
Limestone: CaCO3 + H2SO4 --> CaSO4 + H2CO3
H2CO3 --> CO2 gas + H2O
The calcium sulphate is soluble in water and hence the limestone dissolves and
crumbles.
Old statues, monuments and tombstones are vulnerable to acid rain because they
were made of limestone. After several decades of exposure to acid rain, all the
details of a statue can be lost. The sulphuric acid in acid rain turns calcium
carbonate in limestone into calcium sulphate, which dissolves in water. Thus,
over time acid rain washes away bits of a statue. What used to be a finely
chiselled sculpture of marvellous detail becomes a barren chunk of stone.
Acid rain can damage buildings and bridges with metallic parts that are exposed
to rain and fog. Not only is acid rain great at dissolving calcium in stone, but also
it corrodes certain types of metal. Vulnerable metals include bronze, copper,
nickel, zinc and certain types of steel. A study in the journal “Water, Air, and Soil
Pollution” reported that artificial acid rain with a pH of 3.5 could corrode mild
steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel 304 and red brass. Mild steel
and stainless steel were the most vulnerable. But all four metals
were increasingly corroded as the researchers used stronger and

C stronger acid ra
Aim: I want to know how harmful acid rain can be to construction materials.

Variables:
Independent: the pH of the water, the metal used
Dependent: the metal used
Controlled: the same amount of liquid, same length strip of metal

Hypothesis: I think that the more acidic the liquid is, the more it will corrode the
metal.

Equipment list:
Beakers
Distilled water
A liquid with low pH (lemon juice or white vinegar)(it has to be colourless)
Iron Strips
Steel strips
Copper strips

Method:
1. pour water in a beaker and put any of the metal strips in the beaker
2. pour the liquid with a low pH into another beaker and put the same
metal . be careful with the because as they are fragile.
3. seal them with plastic wrap(to avoid evaporation)
4. Repeat the steps to the other metals
5. After a few days (5), note down the changes in each glass
6. Wash the metal strips and pour the liquid down the sink(do not drink)
References
Barron, A. (2016). Re: How does acid rain affect metals?. [online]
Madsci.org. Available at: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2001-
01/978816088.Es.r.html [Accessed 14 Oct. 2016].

Chemistry.elmhurst.edu. (2016). Acid Rain Effects - Buildings. [online]

Available at:
http://chemistry.elmhurst.edu/vchembook/196buildings.html [Accessed
14 Oct. 2016].

Dictionary.com. (2016). the definition of acid rain. [online] Available at:

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/acid-rain?s=t [Accessed 14 Oct.
2016].

Www3.epa.gov. (2016). Educational Resources – Science Experiments |

Acid Rain | US EPA. [online] Available at:
https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/experiment9.html [Accessed
14 Oct. 2016].