|
|
Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is formed in the atmosphere by industrial waste gases and damages the environment. Two common air pollutants acidify rain: sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide .When these substances are go up into the atmosphere they can be carried over long distances by prevailing winds before returning to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog or dust. When the environment cannot neutralize the acid being deposited, damage occurs. The chemistry of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (Nox) are the primary causes of acid rain. When large quantities of these two particular chemicals enter the atmosphere, they team up with (h2o) to produce strong acids and nitric acid which is formed in the Sunlight increases the rate of most of these reactions. The result is a solution of sulphuric acid and nitric acid in the air. Wet deposition refers to acidic rain, fog, and snow. As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it affects a variety of plants and animals. The strength of the effects depend on many factors, including how acidic the water is, the chemistry and of then buffering capacity soils involved, and the types of fish, trees, and other living things that rely on the water.
|
