ACID RAIN

By: Chitsanupong
 ACID RAIN IS A RESULT OF AIR POLLUTION. WHEN
ANY TYPE OF FUEL IS BURNT, LOTS OF DIFFERENT
CHEMICALS ARE PRODUCED. THE SMOKE THAT COMES
FROM A FIRE OR THE FUMES THAT COME OUT OF A CAR
EXHAUST DON'T JUST CONTAIN THE SOOTY GREY
PARTICLES THAT YOU CAN SEE - THEY ALSO CONTAINS
LOTS OF INVISIBLE GASES THAT CAN BE EVEN MORE
HARMFUL TO OUR ENVIRONMENT. POWER STATIONS,
FACTORIES AND CARS ALL BURN FUELS AND
THEREFORE THEY ALL PRODUCE POLLUTING
GASES. SOME OF THESE GASES REACT WITH THE TINY
DROPLETS OF WATER IN CLOUDS TO FORM SULPHURIC
AND NITRIC ACIDS. THE RAIN FROM THESE CLOUDS
THEN FALLS AS VERY WEAK ACID WHICH IS WHY IT IS
KNOWN AS ACID RAIN.
  
  
 
:
PLACES IMPACTED BY ACID RAIN AROUND THE GLOBE
INCLUDE MOST OF EASTERN EUROPE FROM POLAND
NORTHWARD INTO SCANDINAVIA, THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE
UNITED STATES, AND SOUTHEASTERN CANADA. OTHER
AFFECTED AREAS INCLUDE THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF
CHINA AND TAIWAN.
ACID RAIN CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE ON EARTH AS WINDS BLOW
EMISSIONS MANY MILES FROM THEIR SOURCES
IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT LARGELY AFFECTED U.S. EASTERN
STATES. IT BEGAN IN THE 1950S WHEN MIDWEST COAL PLANTS
SPEWED SULFUR DIOXIDE AND NITROGEN OXIDES INTO THE AIR
CLOSING SENTENCE: PARTS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES
WERE ONCE PLAGUED BY SOME OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF
ACID RAIN IN THE WORLD
  
 WHEN ACID RAIN AND DRY ACIDIC PARTICLES FALL TO EARTH, THE
NITRIC AND SULFURIC ACID THAT MAKE THE PARTICLES ACIDIC
CAN LAND ON STATUES, BUILDINGS, AND OTHER MANMADE
STRUCTURES, AND DAMAGE THEIR SURFACES. THE ACIDIC PARTICLES
CORRODE METAL AND CAUSE PAINT AND STONE TO DETERIORATE
MORE QUICKLY.
 THOUGH CALLED ACID RAIN, IT CAN ALSO BE SNOW, SLEET, OR EVEN
JUST DRY PARTICLES IN THE AIR. AS WE WORK TO REDUCE OUR FOSSIL
FUEL EMISSIONS, WE CAN REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN, 
ACID RAIN ALSO DAMAGE FORESTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT HIGHER
ELEVATIONS. THE ACID DEPOSITS ROB THE SOIL OF ESSENTIAL
NUTRIENTS SUCH AS CALCIUM AND CAUSE ALUMINUM TO BE RELEASED
IN THE SOIL, WHICH MAKES IT HARD FOR TREES TO TAKE UP WATER.
TREES' LEAVES AND NEEDLES ARE ALSO HARMED BY ACIDS.
  ACIDS HAVE A CORROSIVE EFFECT ON LIMESTONE
OR MARBLE BUILDINGS OR SCULPTURES. IT IS WELL
ESTABLISHED THAT EITHER WET OR
DRY DEPOSITION OF SULFUR DIOXIDE
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE RATE OF
CORROSION ON LIMESTONE, SANDSTONE, AND
MARBLE.
ACID RAIN LEACHES ALUMINUM FROM THE SOIL.
 ACID RAIN ALSO REMOVES MINERALS AND
NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL THAT TREES NEED
TO GROW. AT HIGH ELEVATIONS, ACIDIC FOG AND
CLOUDS MIGHT STRIP NUTRIENTS FROM TREES'
FOLIAGE, LEAVING THEM WITH BROWN OR DEAD
LEAVES AND NEEDLES.
ACID RAIN CAUSES A CASCADE OF EFFECTS
(A forest after being rained
THAT HARM OR KILL INDIVIDUAL FISH, REDUCE
FISH POPULATION NUMBERS, COMPLETELY
on by acid rain)
ELIMINATE FISH SPECIES FROM A WATERBODY, AND
DECREASE BIODIVERSITY. AS ACID RAIN FLOWS
THROUGH SOILS IN A WATERSHED, ALUMINUM IS
RELEASED FROM SOILS INTO THE LAKES AND
STREAMS LOCATED IN THAT WATERSHED.
THESE STATUE WAS DAMAGE BY
ACID RAIN.
 ACID RAIN CANNOT ROT YOUR SKIN. IT USUALLY DOESN'T
TASTE OR SMELL ANY DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL RAIN. 
WHILE ACID RAIN CANNOT HARM HUMANS DIRECTLY, THE
SULFUR DIOXIDE THAT CREATES IT CAN CAUSE HEALTH
PROBLEMS. SPECIFICALLY, SULFUR DIOXIDE PARTICLES IN THE
AIR CAN ENCOURAGE CHRONIC LUNG PROBLEMS, LIKE ASTHMA
AND BRONCHITIS. ... ACIDIC FOG ALSO AFFECTS TREES AND
PLANTS AND CAUSES THEIR LEAVES TO TURN BROWN AND WILT. 
ACID RAIN CAN ALSO BE PRODUCED FROM VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS, BURNING COAL AND EVEN ROTTING PLANT LIFE.

Fun fact: Acid rain is only

dangerous to plant and animals.
 GLOSSARY

• sulphuric is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen

and hydrogen, with molecular formula H 2SO4. 
• nitric acids is a highly corrosive mineral acid.
• Deteriorate become progressively worse.
• Biodiversity the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or
ecosystem.