ACID RAIN
Acid rain is mainly caused from a chemical reaction between the
evaporated water in the sky and the emissions from automobiles and power
stations. The chemicals are (sulfur dioxide)SO2 and (Nitrogen compounds) NO2 or
NO3 commonly called NOx, and ( Carbon monoxide) CO, which mix with (water) H2O
to create acids. These acids are sulfuric, nitric, carbonic, and hydrochloric
acids. About 60 to 70% of these acids come from sulfuric acid, 20 to 30% from
nitric, and the remainder from carbonic and hydrochloric. Acid rain causes
damage to natural as well as man made objects. The most damaging is to our lakes
and waterways, where heavy metals are dissolved into the water as it passes
through the ground. As it passes through the ground it dissolves one of many
dangerous metals. This metal is Aluminum which act on the respiratory system of
the fish much like Carbon monoxide acts on the human respiratory system. The
fish uptake the aluminum as they pass water over their gills to uptake oxygen ,
and instead the aluminum creates a gel like substance smothering the fish. Other
problems caused by acid rain is its effects on the forests, where by dissolving
the waxy cuticle from the leaves causing desiccation of the leaves and or stems.
This in turn kills the trees from the top downward. Some of the problems of acid
rain on manmade objects is as it rains down it can adhere to a building or
structure slowly decaying the stone or mortar and metals . Even though it
may dry on the building the chemical compound that makes up the acids still lay
dormant until the humidity may rise reactivating the acid on the structure
further decaying it at an alarming rate.
For more information on acid rain
follow these links.
www.soton.ac.uk/~engenvir/envirnment/air/acid.where.from.html
www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects/envben.html
