Nikola Kostic
Science, 9A
Mr. Youell
20.03.2015
Acid Rain could be described as any rainfall with the existence of high levels of nitric and sulfuric acid. It occurs in the form of rain, snow, fog, and molecules that settle on Earth’s surface. When the compounds, like sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides are released in the air, they form a chemical reaction that forms the acid rain.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can raise high in the atmosphere to react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to create acidic pollutants known as acid rain. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are easily able to react with the water, and can be easily carried by the wind. According to epa.gov, the main causes of the acid rain are the human activities. Over the past decades, with the industrial revolution, humans have released sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides in the air, that they have changed the mix of the gases in the atmosphere. Power plants burn fossil fuels, and release large amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, and in addition, cars, trucks, and other vehicles, from their exhausts, release sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides in the air, which react with the water in the clouds to create the acid rain. As seen in figure 1, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) are released in the air from vehicles and factories. When released into the atmosphere, they react with the water found in clouds. The solution of the reaction is acid, sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and nitric acid (HNO3). In nature, rain is naturally acidic, with a pH level around 5.0, but human activities have made it more acidic. Normal rain with the pH of around 5.0 would react with the alkali chemicals in the air, soil, bedrocks, and lakes. The reaction neutralizes the acid, but with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the rainfall is too acidic, and the alkalis can't neutralize rain that is too acidic. Over time, acidic rain damages trees, crops, lakes, rivers, and seas
(Figure 1, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide react with water in
the clouds to create nitric, and sulfuric acid.)
Acid rain affects lakes and streams in two ways, chronic and episodic. Chronic acidification results in many years of acidic rainfall. It reduces the alkalinity in the lakes and the streams, and increases the acidity of the water. Also, chronic acidification reduces nutrients and calcium for the fish to survive, which results in death of the fish. On the other hand, episodic acidification is a sudden rise in the acidity of the water because of the sudden rainstorm. Episodic acidification causes sudden change in chemistry of the water, which can lead to high concentrations of substances, like aluminum, which is toxic for the fish.
Science, 9A
Mr. Youell
20.03.2015
Acid Rain, Causes, Effects, Remedies
Acid Rain could be described as any rainfall with the existence of high levels of nitric and sulfuric acid. It occurs in the form of rain, snow, fog, and molecules that settle on Earth’s surface. When the compounds, like sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides are released in the air, they form a chemical reaction that forms the acid rain.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can raise high in the atmosphere to react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to create acidic pollutants known as acid rain. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are easily able to react with the water, and can be easily carried by the wind. According to epa.gov, the main causes of the acid rain are the human activities. Over the past decades, with the industrial revolution, humans have released sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides in the air, that they have changed the mix of the gases in the atmosphere. Power plants burn fossil fuels, and release large amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, and in addition, cars, trucks, and other vehicles, from their exhausts, release sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides in the air, which react with the water in the clouds to create the acid rain. As seen in figure 1, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) are released in the air from vehicles and factories. When released into the atmosphere, they react with the water found in clouds. The solution of the reaction is acid, sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and nitric acid (HNO3). In nature, rain is naturally acidic, with a pH level around 5.0, but human activities have made it more acidic. Normal rain with the pH of around 5.0 would react with the alkali chemicals in the air, soil, bedrocks, and lakes. The reaction neutralizes the acid, but with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the rainfall is too acidic, and the alkalis can't neutralize rain that is too acidic. Over time, acidic rain damages trees, crops, lakes, rivers, and seas
(Figure 1, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide react with water in
the clouds to create nitric, and sulfuric acid.)
Acid rain affects lakes and streams in two ways, chronic and episodic. Chronic acidification results in many years of acidic rainfall. It reduces the alkalinity in the lakes and the streams, and increases the acidity of the water. Also, chronic acidification reduces nutrients and calcium for the fish to survive, which results in death of the fish. On the other hand, episodic acidification is a sudden rise in the acidity of the water because of the sudden rainstorm. Episodic acidification causes sudden change in chemistry of the water, which can lead to high concentrations of substances, like aluminum, which is toxic for the fish.
As epa.gov states, acid deposition may influence forest vegetation and soils. Acid rain weakens trees' immune system, making them more exposed to diseases. As seen in figure 2, acid rain has dissolved the leaves of the trees, and has made the trees more exposed to the diseases. Throughout the Eastern United States, the spruce has been in the decline because acid rain may remove soil nutrients as calcium and magnesium which are necessary for the trees to grow. Acid rain deposits nitrogen cause eutrophication, over nourishment, which can lead to unwanted growth of algae in areas where rivers meet oceans.
Acid rain has been shown to affect human health, but some particles formed from sulfate and nitrate ions could affect people with lung disorders, like asthma and bronchitis. Buildings made out of calcium carbonate can be affected by the acid rain. The acid rain can turn calcium carbonate to calcium sulfate, which can be washed away.
(Figure 2, tree leaves had been dissolve by the acid rain,
and the trees are now destroyed by the diseases.)
Aware of the effect on the human health and the environment, humans have taken number of steps to reduce sulfur and nitrogen emissions in the air. According to geography.about.com, Governments are requiring energy producers to use scrubbers to clean smoke stacks, which are going to trap the pollutants before they are released in the atmosphere. Modern cars try to use converters that reduce their emissions. In addition, new energy sources have been found, like energy captured from the sun using solar panels. In schools, kids are being taught to conserve energy, by turning off electronics when not using them, by encouraging parents to use less pollutant source of energy, and trying not to use air conditioning often. I think that this is a big problem, and slowly the acidity of the streams will get high enough so that fish wouldn't be able to survive, unless they adapt to their environment. People have to react fast, and reduce the toxic airs, and try to reduce the acidity of the streams
WWW; Very informative, made plenty of sense, well written and great images.
ReplyDeleteEBI: As great as it was i feel as if there could have been more impact if you not only explained what occurs, how its bad for us but the true impact it holds.
WWW: Very well organized, very informative, a lot of picture, very well explained what was the cause and what was the effect.
ReplyDeleteEBI: maybe add your opinion, and thats it
WWW: Well explained, chemical reactions used in explanation, also hyperlinks that redirect to the required internet adress work. Aesthetically, it looks good, because you avoided Blogger's errors (no highlighted text). Phenomenal!
ReplyDeleteEBI: You should have used more pictures to make it more illustrative. The pictures weren't captioned, but there was only a description under the picture.