Chapter 34: Problem 8

What is acid rain? What are its harmful affects?

Short Answer

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Acid rain is the rainfall that has become significantly more acidic than normal due to pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the air, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. It can have harmful effects on the environment, such as making water bodies too acidic for aquatic life and stripping soil of vital nutrients. It can also cause significant damage to buildings and other structures, particularly those made of limestone or marble, and have harmful effects on human respiratory health.

Step by step solution

Definition of Acid Rain

Acid rain refers to the precipitation that is significantly more acidic than normal rain, due to the presence of pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere. These pollutants can come from natural sources, such as volcanoes, but are mainly generated from the burning of fossil fuels for energy.

Describing the Harmful Effects on the Environment

Acid rain can have severe detrimental effects on the environment. It can lead to the acidification of lakes and rivers, making the water too acidic for aquatic life to survive. For vegetation, acid rain can strip away vital nutrients from the soil, making it difficult for plants and trees to grow.

Describing the Harmful Effects on the Built Environment and Human Health

In addition to its environmental impacts, acid rain can also cause significant damage to buildings, monuments, and other structures, especially those made of limestone or marble, as the acid can react with the calcium compounds in these materials. Furthermore, the pollutants that cause acid rain can also have harmful effects on human health, particularly respiratory health.

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What is acid rain? What are its harmful affects?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Definition of Acid Rain

Describing the Harmful Effects on the Environment

Describing the Harmful Effects on the Built Environment and Human Health

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