Acid Rain Causes
Acid rain casues includes when emissions containing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NO2) react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids in the atmosphere. These acids then mix with water and other materials and fall on the ground in the form of acid rain.
SO2 + H2O → H2SO4 ←→ H+ + HSO4 ←→ 2H+ + SO42-
NO2 + H2O → HNO3 ←→ H+ + (NO3)–
Acid Rain can be caused by natural processes or man-made activities:
Natural Causes
Natural processes like volcanic eruptions produce sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), and hydrochloric acid (HCl), and lightening and wildfires convert atmospheric molecular nitrogen (N2) into nitrogen oxides which contribute to the formation of acid rain. Other natural causes include earthquakes, decomposing vegetation, and some microbial processes that produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides and release them into the atmosphere. However, the extent of acidification by any natural source is small and in most cases, it lowers the pH of precipitation not more than 5.2.
Man-Made Causes
The main man-made source includes the combustion of fossil fuel by power-production companies and industries which release sulfur into the air that combines with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide (SO2), exhausts from motor vehicles cause the formation and emission of nitrogen oxides into the air. Intensive livestock farming releases ammonia from the decomposition of organic matter which also contributes to the formation of acid rain. Ore smelting, coal-fired power generators, and the processing of natural gas, manufacturing industries, and oil refineries are the main sources of sulfur dioxide emission.
Acid Rain – Definition, Effects, Disposition, Causes, and Prevention
Acid Rain is rainfall or any precipitation mixed with elements and gases that make them more acidic than normal. Acid rain effects include soil degradation, infrastructure corrosion, vegetation damage, health risks, etc. Acid rain causes acidification of the earth and surface water acid rain has detrimental effects on plants and animals along with the whole ecosystem and poses a serious threat to living beings. In this article, we will study acid rain definition, effects, causes, and prevention in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Acid Rain?
- Acid Rain Diagram
- Acid Rain Causes
- Types of Acid Rain
- Acid Rain Effects
- Real-life Examples of Acid Rain
- Prevention of Acid Rain