Rain which is unusually acidic (pH of less than the natural range of 5 to 6); caused mainly by atmospheric pollution with sulphur dioxide and nitrogen compounds
Also called acid precipitation or acid deposition, acid rain is precipitation containing harmful amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids formed primarily by nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned It can be wet precipitation (rain, snow, or fog) or dry precipitation (absorbed gaseous and particulate matter, aerosol particles or dust) Acid rain has a pH below 5 6 Normal rain has a pH of about 5 6, which is slightly acidic The term pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity and ranges from 0 to 14 A pH measurement of 7 is regarded as neutral Measurements below 7 indicate increased acidity, while those above indicate increased alkalinity
Acids form when certain atmospheric gases (primarily carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides) come in contact with water in the atmosphere or on the ground and are chemically converted to acidic substances Oxidants play a major role in several of these acid-forming processes Carbon dioxide dissolved in rain is converted to a weak acid (carbonic acid) Other gases, primarily oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, are converted to strong acids (sulfuric and nitric acids)
Acid deposition - commonly called acid rain - is caused by emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides Although natural sources of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides do exist, more than 90% of the sulphur and 95% of the nitrogen emissions occurring in eastern North America are of human origin These primary air pollutants arise from the use of coal in the production of electricity, from base-metal smelting, and from fuel combustion in vehicles Once released into the atmosphere, they can be converted chemically into such secondary pollutants as nitric acid and sulfuric acid, both of which dissolve easily in water The resulting acidic water droplets can be carried long distances by prevailing winds, returning to Earth as acid rain, snow, or fog
Air pollution produced when acid chemicals are incorporated into rain, snow, fog or mist The "acid" in acid rain comes from sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, products of burning coal and other fuels and from certain industrial processes The sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are related to two strong acids: sulfuric acid and nitric acid When sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released from power plants and other sources, winds blow them far from their source If the acid chemicals in the air are blown into areas where the weather is wet, the acids can fall to Earth in the rain, snow, fog, or mist In areas where the weather is dry, the acid chemicals may become incorporated into dusts or smokes Acid rain can damage the environment, human health, and property
is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react in the atmosphere It falls to the Earth in the form of gases and particles or rain, snow and fog Acid rain damages soils and streams, as well as visibility and human health
Precipitation containing harmful amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids formed primarily by nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned Acid rain can take the form of wet precipitation (rain, snow, or fog) or dry precipitation (absorbed gaseous and particulate matter, aerosol particles or dust)
Air pollution produced when acid chemicals are incorporated into rain, snow, fog or mist The "acid" in acid rain comes from sulfur oxides (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), products of burning coal and other fuels and from certain industrial processes SO2 and NOx are related to the strong acids: sulfuric acid and nitric acid, respectively Once SO2 and NOx are released, winds blow them far from their source If these acid chemicals are blown into wet-weather areas, they can fall to Earth in the rain, snow, fog or mist If they are blown to dry-weather areas, the acid chemicals may become incorporated into dusts or smokes Acid rain can damage the environment, human health and property
Precipitation which has a pH value of less than 5 6, and is therefore acidic in nature It is responsible for raising the acidity of soil and water in many parts of Europe Acid rain is the reason why some forests are being destoryed Effects on trees in Europe(****Caution large picture may take some time to loadup****) The main causes of acid rain are sulphur dioxide nitrogen oxides hydrogen chloride halons chlorinated solvents
Rain that contains such acidic compounds as sulfuric acid and nitric acid, which are produced by the combination of atmospheric water with oxides released when hydrocarbons are burned Acid rain is widely considered responsible for damaging forests, crops, and human-made structures, and for killing aqua-tic life
Acid rain occurs when air pollutants, mostly sulfur dioxide from coal burning power plants, and nitrogen oxide coming from cars and trucks as well as power plants and industrial smokestacks, mix with rain As this rain falls to earth, it can cause the surface destruction of cars and buildings can severely pollute lakes and forests
Acid rain is rain polluted by acid that has been released into the atmosphere from factories and other industrial processes. Acid rain is harmful to the environment. Acid precipitation falling as rain. rain that contains harmful acid which can damage the environment and is caused by chemicals in the air, for example from cars or factories. Any precipitation, including snow, that contains a heavy concentration of sulfuric and nitric acids. This form of pollution is a serious environmental problem in the large urban and industrial areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. Automobiles, certain industrial operations, and electric power plants that burn fossil fuels emit the gases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere, where they combine with water vapour in clouds to form sulfuric and nitric acids. The highly acidic precipitation from these clouds may contaminate lakes and streams, damaging fish and other aquatic species; damage vegetation, including agricultural crops and trees; and corrode the outsides of buildings and other structures (historic monuments are especially vulnerable). Though usually most severe around large urban and industrial areas, acid precipitation may also occur at great distances from the source of the pollutants
Rain that has become acidic due to the emission of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides To learn more, see the U S Environmental Protection Agency's Acid Rain Home Page
the precipitation of dilute solutions of strong mineral acids, formed by the mixing in the atmosphere of various industrial pollutants -- primarily sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides -- with naturally occurring oxygen and water vapor
Rainfall with a pH of less than 7 0 One of the principle sources is the combining of rain (H2O) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions which are byproducts of the combustion of fossil fuels These oxides react with the water vapor to form sulfuric (H2SO4), nitric (HNO3), and carbonic acids (H2CO3) Long-term deposition of these acids is linked to adverse effects on aquatic organisms and plant life in areas with poor neutralizing (buffering) capacity Also see Acid Deposition
Atmospheric precipitation with a pH below 3 6 to 5 7 Burning of fossil fuels for heat and power is the major factor in the generation of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, which are converted into nitric and sulfuric acids washed down in the rain See also atmospheric corrosion
The result of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacting in the atmosphere with water and returning to earth as rain, fog, or snow Broadly used to include both wet and dry deposition The acid rain page provides a great deal of information about this issue
Rain that has become more acidic than normal (a pH below 5 0) as certain oxides present as airborne pollutants are absorbed by the water droplets The term is often applied generically to all acidic precipitation
an unnatural type of rain which occurs when sulfur and nitrogen compounds combine with raindrops to create nitric and sulphuric acids This causes great damage to the environment and to man-made structures, especially concrete It is common in the northeastern portion of North America, as the prevailing westerly winds carry pollution from the American midwest to the northestern United States and the lower portions of Canada It also occurs downwind of many other industrialized areas of the world
Rain containing acidic substances that causes damage to plant life, lakes and aquatic life, crops, buildings and human health Rain becomes acidified when it absorbs sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles emitted by fossil-fuelled sources such as power plants To respond to increasingly tough limits on emissions since 1990, U S companies in northeastern states operate a successful system of trading sulphur and nitrogen oxides between emitters The system has delivered large emissions reductions for a fraction of the originally predicted cost and has reduced the intensity of acid rainfall in the region Allowances See permits