What Is Acid Rain And What Are Its Causes?

Acid rain is a form of pollution which became a serious environmental problem in the large urban and industrial areas of North America, Europe and Asia. Any precipitation that contains a heavy concentration of Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4) and Nitric Acid (HNO3) is generally called acid rain. Automobile industries, electrical power plants and some other industrial operations that burn fossil fuels and emit the gases like sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO2) into the environment. In the air the gases meet with water vapour available in clouds to reform Sulphuric Acid and Nitric Acid. This acid rain or highly acidic precipitation from those clouds may contaminate lakes and streams, thereby, harming the fishes and other aquatic species. It also causes a great harm to vegetation including agricultural crops and plants and trees. Now-a-days acid rain or acid precipitation has become a threatening problem for the environment and humankind.

Acid rain is caused by these substances that are being released into the air.Such as:CARBON DIOXIDE,which is released by burning coal,oil,and natural gas.#2.CARBON MONOXIDE:Is released by burning gasoline,oil,and wood.#3.CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS:(CFC's)which are the chemicals that are used in industry,refrigeration,air conditioning systems,and consumer products.#4.HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS:Are released into the air but sources such as chemical plants,dry cleaners,and motor vehicles.#5.LEAD:Is released by house and car paint,manufacturing of lead batteries,fishin lures,certain part of bullets,some ceramic ware,water pipes,and fixtures.#6.NITROGEN OXIDES:Are released into the air by burning fuels such as gasoline and coal.#7.OZONE:Is released by motor vehicles,industries,burning coal,gasoline,and other fossil fuels,and in the chemicals that are in hairspray and paint.#8.PARTICULATE MATTER:By cars,trucks,and buses that burn diesel fuel.#9.SULFUR DIOXIDE:By burning coal paper production,and melting metal.#10.VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS:By burning gasoline,wood,coal,or natural gas,solvents,paints,glues,and other products that are used at work or at home.

            Acid rain was first described by an English man in 1872. He was a chemist and was first to note that rain that fell had a high percentage of acidity which effected man, animal and plants. It is now the most controversial form of air pollution in the developed world.

            Acidity of substances in the water is usually expressed in terms of pH. It is neutral when it has a pH of 7. A value greater than 7 is said to be alkaline and one lower is considered acidic. Natural rainfall is usually only slightly acidic. But in most industrial areas such as Western Europe or Eastern USA, the pH value is about 4.3, which is ten times more acidic than normal precipitation in non-polluted regions. The rain water here is as acidic as vinegar. You can imagine the consequences on human health, lakes and rivers, forests and plants in these regions.

            The cause of acid rain; factories in industrial areas spew forth sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides with the burning of fossil fuels like coal, diesel and natural gas. These pollutants when combined with water vapour, sunlight and oxygen in the atmosphere, create a diluted `soup` of sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Some times the hydrogen chloride gases in the atmosphere also react to these pollutants and produce hydrochloric acid. When this mixture is washed out of the atmosphere by rain, it falls to the earth as `acid rain`.

Acid rain is rain that has pollution mixed in it that makes the water turn Acidic.