AWARENESS ON CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN

AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS OF

AKALAKUNNAM GRAMA PANCHAYATH

Alphonsa K.
B.Ed Student (Physical Science)
Mount Carmel College of Teacher Education for Women, Kottayam

ABSTRACT
The present article entitled “Awareness on causes and Effects of Acid Rain among
Secondary School Students of Akalakunnam Grama Panchayath” is based on a survey carried out
with objective to assess the awareness of acid rain among Secondary School Students. A sample
of 50 students from various schools of Akalakunnam Grama Panchayath of Kottayam district was
selected for the study. The data was collected using a questionnaire prepared by the investigator.
The major findings of the study indicate that most of the students are aware of the causes of acid
rain and its adverse effects on human beings, plants, animals and environment. But they do not
know what methods can be taken to control this serious environmental threat. Students should be
empowered to take actions to prevent acid rain.
Key word: Acid Rain

INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of civilization, human beings have used several natural resources for
their benefit. To make their life easier, they have produced facilities that use many of the earth’s
energy resources. On one side this kind of development makes our lives easier, but on the other
hand it results into pollution by release of harmful substance into environment.
Acid rain is the most serious environmental problem emerged due to air pollution. Rain is
one of the most essential ingredients for human and animal life. The water provided by rain allows
all life of earth to survive. Although rain is naturally acidic (with pH of 5.6), it is being increasingly
acidified by pollution from homes, factories, power stations and cars. The term used to describe
this problem is “Acid Rain”. Acid rain hasn’t just occurred in the last twenty to thirty years. This
was over 100 years ago. Foe years ever since most of the world has been industrialized, the effects
of pollution have played nations alike. Acid rain is one of the largest contributions to this
industrialized form of pollution.

Acid rain is the byproduct of a variety of human activities that emit the oxides of sulphur
and nitrogen into the atmosphere. Burning of fossil fuels (which contain sulphur and nitrogenous
matter) such as coal and oil in power stations and furnaces of petrol and diesel in motor engines
produce sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Sulphur and nitrogen oxides after oxidation
andreaction with water are major contributors to acid rain, because polluted air usually contains
particulate matter that catalyzes oxidation.

Acid rain is harmful for agriculture, plants and animals. It causes respiratory issues i8n
animals and humans and alters composition of soil. It damages buildings and monuments made up
of stones and metals and corrosion of water pipes. ie, acid rain is a major threat to human life and
environment. This present study aims at providing awareness on the causes and effects of acid rain
among the secondary school students of Akalakunnam Grama panchayath of Kottayam district.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• To assess students’ awareness on acid rain.
• To determine whether the students know about the normal pH value of rain water and how
it is maintained.
• To make the students aware of the conditions of pH that lead to acid rain.
• To make the students aware of the major gases that contribute to acid rain and the various
circumstances under which they are formed.
• To enable the students to recognize the acids that generates acid rain.
• To help the students to find out the effect of acid rain on environment and how it leads to
pollution.
• To provide the students knowledge about the measures that can be adopted to control acid
rain.
METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted using survey method of investigation. A questionnaire containing
20 questions related to the awareness of students on the causes, effects and preventive measures
of acid rain was prepared after the detailed analysis of the chapter “Acids, Bases and Salts” in the
chemistry textbook (SCERT) of standard IX. The questionnaire was administrated through online
mode using Google forms. The sample consisted of 50 students who were studying in various
schools (High School and HSS) of Akalakunnam Grama Panchayath of Kottayam district. The
data obtained was then analysed and interpreted to reach the conclusion.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The study aimed to acquire a greater understanding of awareness on causes and effects of
acid rain on secondary school students of Kottayam. The sample consisted of 50 students. On
analyzing the data the investigator came to know that most of the students (96%) studied about
acids whereas 4% of them did not study about acids. But 100% of the students agree that they have
heard about pH value. Majority of the sample (80%) know that if a substance is acidic, its pH value
is less than 7. 14% of them say that it is 7 and 6% say that it is greater than 7. Most of the sample
(58%) know that the pH of rain water is 5.6, but 34% of them say that it is 7 and 8% of them say
that it is 7.4. These results showed that most of the sample has an idea about acids and pH value.
Majority of them (70%) know that H+ ion regulates the pH of rain water, but 30% think that OH-
ion regulates the pHof rain water. About 68% of them know that below the pH of 5.6, rain is
regarded as acid rain, 20% say that it is below pH of 7 and 12% say that below pH of 7.4.
About 52% of the sample knows that both sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen cause
acid rain, 28% of them think that only sulphur dioxide causes acid rain whereas 20% of them think
that only oxides of nitrogen cause acid rain. The pie diagram showing the pollutants that cause
acid rain is given in Fig:1.
 Fig:1: Pie diagram showing the pollutants that cause acid rain

To the question about the sources of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen in the
atmosphere, 58% of the sample said that burning of fossil fuels, oil refineries and vehicles are the
sources, 22% said that only that burning of fossil fuels, 18 % said that vehicles and only 2% said
that oil refineries. The pie diagram showing the various sources of pollutants is shown in Fig:2.

Fig:2: Pie diagram showing the various sources of pollutants

According to 70% of the sample, the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen are acidic and 30%
say that these are not acidic. Majority of them (90%) said that when sulphur dioxide reacts with
water, the acid formed is sulphuric acid, 6% said that it is nitric acid and only 4% said that it is
hydrochloric acid. Similarly 90% of the sample opinioned that, when nitrogen dioxide reacts with
water, the acid formed is nitric acid, 6% said that it is sulphuric acid and 4% said that it is
hydrochloric acid.
 Most of the sample (80%) agreed that acid rain leads to environmental pollution whereas
14% opinioned that it does not lead to pollution. The pie diagram showing the percentage of
students aware of environmental pollution caused by acid rain is given in Fig:3.

Fig:3: Pie diagram showing the percentage of students aware of environmental pollution caused
by acid rain

76% of the sample agrees that acid rain cause respiratory ailments in human beings in
animals whereas 24% do not agree with it. 82% of them say that acid rain affects agriculture and
plants and animals in aquatic ecosystem adversely, but 18% of them say that there is no effect.
About 80% of the sample agree that acid rain cause irritation to human eyes and skin whereas 20%
of them do not agree with it. Similarly 80% of them believe that acid rain can damage buildings
and other structures made of metals whereas 20% do not believe. Majority of the sample (84%)
are sure that acid rain is the reason behind the corrosion of stones of Taj Mahal, but 16% of them
do not agree with it. 70% of them think that acid rain corrodes water pipes which lead to leaching
of heavy metals like iron, but 30% of them do not agree with this point.

To the question regarding the prevention of acid rain most of the sample (64%) opinioned
that reducing the use of fossil fuels, increase the use of renewable energy sources and liming can
be adopted as preventive measures. For 22% of them reduce the use of fossil fuels, for 10%
increase the use of renewable energy sources and for 4% liming are the best methods to control
acid rain. The pie diagram showing the methods that can be taken to control acid rain is shown in
Fig:4.
 Fig:4: Pie diagram showing the methods that can be taken to control acid rain

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

Through this survey, the investigator came to know that most of the respondents are aware
of acid rain, the serious environmental problem. They have learned about acids and pH value and
knew that when the pH value of rain water comes under 5.6, it becomes acidic.

Most of the students are aware of the gases like sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen
that leads to acid rain and the sources like burning of fossil fuels, vehicles and oil refineries that
emit such harmful gases. They also know that these oxides react with water to form sulphuric acid
and nitric acid and reach earth as acid rain. But some respondents donot have a clear idea about
this. Majority of them know that acid rain leads to environmental pollution and they believe that
it is a threat to human beings, plants and animals because acid rain causes respiratory ailments,
irritation to human eyes and skin, adversely affect agriculture, plants and animals in aquatic
ecosystem. They also heard about the corrosion that happened to the stones of Taj Mahal because
of acid rain. Almost all the respondents are aware of the methods that can be taken to control acid
rain, like the use of renewable energy sources.

Even though a large portion of the respondents are aware of the causes and effects of acid
rain, some of them do not bother about such a serious environmental threat. Because acid rain has
adverse effects on environment, awareness on it is the key to realize the circumstances that lead to
the liberation of harmful gases that cause acid rain. Hence, we can protect our environment from
pollution due to acid rain by taking necessary steps to prevent it.

REFERENCES

• Subodh Kumar (2017). Acid Rain-The Major Cause of Pollution: Its Causes, Effects.
International Journal of Applied Chemistry. Volume 13.

• Haradhan Kumar Mohajan (2018). Acid Rain is a Local Environmental Pollution but
Global Concern. Open Source Journal of Analytical Chemistry.

• Perringe Grennfelt, Anna Engleryd, Martin Forsius (2019). Acid Rain and Air Pollution:
50 years of Progress in Environmental Science and Policy. Springer.

• Sivakumaran Sivaramanan (2015). Acid Rain, Causes, Effects and Control Strategies.
Research gate.

• Anita Singh and Madhoolika Agarwal (2008). Acid Rain and its Ecological Consequences.
Journal of Environmental Biology.

• Heinz Rennenberg (2001). Acid Rain. Research gate.

• SCERT Chemistry Textbook, Standard- IX.