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Acid Rain

Acid Rain. By: Marian Liwanen & Melanie Koh. What is Acid Rain??. Rain made acidic by pollutants in the air Acid rain is a type of acid deposition Two types of acid deposition are: Wet deposition Dry deposition. Wet Deposition.

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Acid Rain

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  1. Acid Rain By: Marian Liwanen & Melanie Koh

  2. What is Acid Rain?? • Rain made acidic by pollutants in the air • Acid rain is a type of acid deposition • Two types of acid deposition are: • Wet deposition • Dry deposition

  3. Wet Deposition • Refers to acidic rain, fog, snow and sleet and any other precipitations • It removes acids from the atmosphere • This results in the acids being delivered to the Earth’s surface and affects a variety of plants and animals

  4. Dry Deposition • Refers to acidic gases and particles • About half of the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through dry deposition • The wind blows the acidic gases onto buildings, cars, homes and trees

  5. Dry Deposition • Dry deposition can be washed from surfaces by rainstorms • The acids from this combined with acid rain makes the combination more acidic

  6. How is it formed? • carbon dioxide + water  carbonic acid • Carbon dioxide in the air dissolves in raindrops to form carbonic acid. • sulfur dioxide + water  sulfuric acid • Sulfur dioxide dissolves in rainwater to form sulfurous acid.

  7. How is it formed? • This also reacts with oxygen in the air to form sulfur trioxide (SO3) which dissolves in rainwater to form sulfuric acid. • nitrogen dioxide + water  nitric acid • Nitrogen dioxide also reacts with water to form nitric acid.

  8. Why is it a problem? • Acid rain is a major problem affecting people, lakes and streams, buildings and forests. • Air pollution like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can cause respiratory problems or make them worse. • Nitrogen oxide causes ground-level ozone.

  9. Why is it a problem? • This ozone causes respiratory problems such as pneumonia and bronchitis and can even cause permanent lung damage. • Acid rain is also very harmful to forests. • Acid rain that seeps into the ground can dissolve nutrients such as magnesium and calcium that trees need to be healthy.

  10. Why is it a problem? • Acid rain also causes aluminum to be released into the soil making it harder for trees and plants to take up water. • Trees in higher altitudes are much more affected because of their exposure to acidic clouds.

  11. Why is it a problem? • Important nutrients are taken away making it easier for insects and cold weather to damage the trees. • Lakes and streams have a pH level of about 6.5. Acid rain however has caused these levels to drop especially during heavy downpours of rain or when snow melts in the spring.

  12. Why is it a problem? • The increase of the level of acidity affects phytoplankton, mayflies, rainbow trout and many other creatures part of the food web. • Acid rain has a corrosive effect on limestone, sandstone, marble buildings and sculptures, causing them to look worn out and old.

  13. Worst affected places in the world • Most of the countries in the Eastern Europe • From Poland northward into Scandinavia • Eastern third of the United States • South-eastern Canada

  14. Worst affected places in the world • China • Taiwan • Japan • Australia • South-east Asia • Germany • London • Switzerland • The Netherlands

  15. Why are these places affected? • Coal burning • Pollution-generating heating methods • Smoke • Industrial dust emissions

  16. Why are these places affected? • Power plants • Vehicles that burn diesel and gasoline • Exhaust of vehicles that release sulfur dioxide • Air pollution

  17. What is being done??? • Regulations: • Enforce a fixed amount of sulfur dioxide that power plants release • Issue allowances to power plants to cover their sulfur dioxide emissions

  18. What is being done? • Minimizing pollution: • Using coal that contains less sulfur • “Wash” the coal to remove some sulfur • Installing equipment called scrubbers – removes sulfur dioxide from gases that leave the smokestack. • Some power plants are changing the way they burn coal to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide produced

  19. What is being done? • Using different energy resources: • Using renewable energy sources • Solar energy • Wind energy • Produce energy without the use of fossil fuels

  20. What is being done? • Vehicles – Cars and trucks: • Car manufacturers are reducing the amount of nitrogen oxides and other pollutants produced • Using catalytic converter – to reduce nitrogen oxides produced by cars • Using cleaner fuels – natural gas • Using low emissions vehicles

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