Table of Contents
Why does precipitation become acidic?
Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. These substances can rise very high into the atmosphere, where they mix and react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form more acidic pollutants, known as acid rain.
Is rain getting more acidic?
Normal, clean rain has a pH value of between 5.0 and 5.5, which is slightly acidic. However, when rain combines with sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides—produced from power plants and automobiles—the rain becomes much more acidic.
Does precipitation increase pH?
Alkaline precipitation occurs when either calcium oxide or sodium hydroxide is emitted into the atmosphere, absorbed by water droplets in clouds, and then falls as rain, snow, or sleet. Precipitation containing these compounds can increase the pH of soil or bodies of water and lead to increased fungal growth.
Does rain reduce pH?
Rainfall dilutes pool chemistry levels and lowers the readings for pH, alkalinity, hardness, stabilizer, and chlorine. Rainfall does not contain chlorine.
What do you need to know about acid precipitation?
Acid Precipitation, or what you have probably heard called acid rain, is one of many environmental problems that have developed since the Industrial Revolution. It has led to many serious issues in the latter part of the 1900s. For you to understand acid precipitation, you need to know the meanings of both an acid and precipitation.
Why is acid rain more of a problem today?
Emissions released into the atmosphere from coal combustion contain high levels of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, causing serious acid rain concerns.
How is the pH of acid rain measured?
An acid is measured by the concentration of hydrogen ions and is ranked on what we call the pH scale. Acids have a low value on the pH scale. For example, lemon juice and soft drinks are both very acidic. Normal rain has a pH of 5.6, but acid rain can be up to 100 times more acidic.
Which is more acidic lemon juice or acid rain?
Acids have a low value on the pH scale. For example, lemon juice and soft drinks are both very acidic. Normal rain has a pH of 5.6, but acid rain can be up to 100 times more acidic. Precipitation is any type of liquid or solid water that falls from the clouds to the ground.