Explain circumstances leading to acid rain.How does acid rain affect as?
Explain circumstances leading to acid rain.How does acid rain affect as?
Acid rain is the term used to define :
i. wet deposition and
ii. dry deposition
of sulphuric acid and nitric acid. When these depositions have a higher amount of acids than is found in the atmosphere naturally is called acid rain. They occur when rain water combines with SO and NO in the atmosphere and oxygen to form sulphuric acid and nitric acid respectively.
Reactions:
N2 (g) + O2 (g) → NO (g)
NO (g) + 1/2 O2 (g) → NO2 (g)
3NO2 (g) + H2 O → 2HNO3 (aq) + NO (g)
And,
SO2 (g) + 1/2 O (g) → SO3 (g)
SO3 (g) + H2 O → H2 SO4 (aq)
These depositions occur due to :
i. natural events like volcano eruptions and
ii. man made causes like burning of fossil fuels in large amounts.
Acid rain affects us by:
i. Damaging the pH of soil thereby damaging the micro-organisms present in the soil. It changes the chemistry of soil by providing a medium to harmful elements to act and degrade the soil by removing some essential nutrients.
The damage to the soil also damage the vegetation.
- trees at higher altitude are more at threat by acid rain as they have more concentrated acids than rain.
ii. Acid rain affects the buildings made of limestone and marble. It degrades these stones.
CaCO3 + H2 SO4 (aq) → CaSO4 + H2 O + CO2 (g)
iii. By changing the pH of water in water bodies, acid rain affects aquatic animals. At lower pH fish cannot hatch eggs and also die.
iv. Direct impact to the health of human beings is not present.
Acid rain is the term used to define :
i. wet deposition and
ii. dry deposition
of sulphuric acid and nitric acid. When these depositions have a higher amount of acids than is found in the atmosphere naturally is called acid rain. They occur when rain water combines with SO and NO in the atmosphere and oxygen to form sulphuric acid and nitric acid respectively.
Reactions:
N2 (g) + O2 (g) → NO (g)
NO (g) + 1/2 O2 (g) → NO2 (g)
3NO2 (g) + H2 O → 2HNO3 (aq) + NO (g)
And,
SO2 (g) + 1/2 O (g) → SO3 (g)
SO3 (g) + H2 O → H2 SO4 (aq)
These depositions occur due to :
i. natural events like volcano eruptions and
ii. man made causes like burning of fossil fuels in large amounts.
Acid rain affects us by:
i. Damaging the pH of soil thereby damaging the micro-organisms present in the soil. It changes the chemistry of soil by providing a medium to harmful elements to act and degrade the soil by removing some essential nutrients.
The damage to the soil also damage the vegetation.
- trees at higher altitude are more at threat by acid rain as they have more concentrated acids than rain.
ii. Acid rain affects the buildings made of limestone and marble. It degrades these stones.
CaCO3 + H2 SO4 (aq) → CaSO4 + H2 O + CO2 (g)
iii. By changing the pH of water in water bodies, acid rain affects aquatic animals. At lower pH fish cannot hatch eggs and also die.
iv. Direct impact to the health of human beings is not present.
