CONTENTFormationCausesEffects and ProblemsAreas AffectedWhat Acid Rain Has DonePossible SolutionsWhat We Can Do

FORMATIONIs arainor any other form ofprecipitationthat is unusuallyacidic, i.e. elevated levels of hydrogen ions (lowpH)Is caused by emissions ofsulfur dioxideand nitrogen oxides which react with thewatermolecules in the atmosphere to produce acids

How acid rain forms

CAUSESVehicles (e.g. cars, buses) that burn gasoline and dieselIndustrial emissions from factories and power plants that burn fuels such as natural gas, coal or oil, emit smoke that gives off oxides of sulfur and nitrogenHome fires giving off smoke that contains sulfur dioxideNatural causes which are volcanoes, swamps and rotting plants giving off sulfur dioxide

EFFECTS AND PROBLEMSAcid rain can cause buildings, statues and bridges to deteriorate faster than usualHarms thousands of lakes, rivers, and streams worldwideIt disrupts lake ecosystemsKill wildlife in affected lakes, rivers and streamsDamages soil and the tree roots

Example of What Happens After the Initial Pollution

A factory by a lake releases smoke into the airDry deposition from the smoke falls into the lakeThe rest of the smoke rises up and forms acid rain in the atmosphereThe wind causes the acid rain cloud to travelAcid rain falls on a forest and acid snow falls on a mountainAfter all this, the lake is affected, the river is affected, the soil is affected and the vegetation is affected

AREAS AFFECTEDThe Northeastern section of the United StatesThe Southeastern section of CanadaCentral Europe and Scandanavia (Sweden, Norway and Finland)Parts of Asia, specifically India and China

Global Acid Rain Pollution

WHAT ACID RAIN HAS DONEIn Sweden, drinking water once contained enough water to make people's hair turn greenSome famous statues, such as the Lincoln Memorial and Michaelangelo's statue of Marcus Aurelius, have started deteriorating because of acid rainIn the Czech Republic, many trees lost all their leaves as a result of acid rainThe Taj Mahal in India, one of the ten wonders of the world, is being constantly threatened by acid rainIn London in 1952, very thick acid smog killed 4,000 people

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONSOne is to use fuels that burn more cleanlyAnother solution is to burn coal more efficientlyPower plant and factory chimneys can be fitted with scrubbersEnforcing tight emission standards on vehicles that burn gas and dieselFitting devices such as a catalytic converter into car exhaust pipes to minimize the amount of sulfur dioxide in car exhaust

WHAT WE CAN DOWe can cut back on car use by walking, cycling, using public transit or carpoolingWe can also help by turning off electrical devices not in use such as lights and computers.

BIBLIOGRAPHYhttp://www.elmhurst.eduhttp://www.angelfire.comhttp://www.eoearth.orgLikens, G. E., F. H. Bormann and N. M. Johnson. 1972. Acid rain. Environment

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