This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 24 pages of information about acid rain. As acid rain fell, it affected everything it touched, leaching calcium from soils and robbing plants of important nutrients. Acid rain contributes to the corrosion of surfaces exposed to air pollution and is. When rain forms around certain types of pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, the ccn react with water to make the rain acidic. Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions low ph. Erosion can move sediment through water, ice, or wind. The information was then used to demonstrate the full extent of the phenomenon. Acid rain information book subsequent edition by david v. Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids. Readers respond to an editorial about the effect of legislation on acid rain and the environment. Research is underway to clarify the role of acid rain in the destruction. Bush signing into law in october 1999, clean air act amendments that specifically addressed acid rain and mandated reductions in emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides the major precursors of acid rain in the atmosphere.
In nature, the combination of rain and these oxides is part of a natural balance that nourishes plants and. The acid rain program 2005 progress report includes special sections on fuel switching,epas framework for accountability,program costs and benefits,surface water quality monitoring,impact assessment,environmental justice,and new rules. For facts, videos and related articles concerning acid rain go to encyclopedia. Acid rain simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Calcium cycle in the industrial emissions, 2009 at encyclopedia. Erosion is the removal and transportation of rock or soil. If the acid rain drops on the rivers, lakes and streams, it can affect the fish and. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. It poses new challenges to the full development of our forest, agricultural, and aquatic resources.
Acid rain facts and information national geographic. However, it is thought that air pollution by people now causes most acid rain. Acid rain also damages man made mate rials and struc tures. Carbon dioxide and various oxides of nitrogen also make acid in the atmosphere. The question asked is whether the tone of the acid rain coverage.
For more information on the arp,including additional information on so 2 and no x emissions,acid. By re ducing the emis sion of the precu rsors of aci d rai n and t o s ome exten t by liming, th e problem of acidif ication. Wet deposition refers to acidic rain, fog, and snow. Today scientists study both wet and dry acidic deposits. For the last ten years, this phenomenon has brought destruction to thousands of lakes and streams in the united states, canada, and parts of europe. The book examines the role irrigation played in the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. The strength of the effects depends on many factors, including how. International cooperation to address air pollution and acid deposition began with the 1972 united nations conference on the human environment in stockholm, sweden. Aquatic life may be poisoned, and become unfit for human consumption. The term was coined in 1872 by the scottish chemist robert angus smith 18171884 to describe the acidic precipitation in manchester, england 2.
In no other region do so many people strive so hard for economic growth on the basis of so little water. Acid rain, or acidic precipitation, first attracted scientific attention in the mid 1950s in scandinavia, with studies focused on acidity and surface waters. How science can help us deal with acid rain, depletion of the ozone, and soviet threat among other things. Sediment is solid material that is moved and deposited in a new location. Rain, acid definition of rain, acid by the free dictionary.
Explains the effects of acid rain on our planet, such as the health risks to humans, plants, and animals, and suggests ways to help alleviate the problem. Due to the corrosive nature of the acids it damages both nonliving things as well as living organisms. Two decades of environmental laws have reduced pollution caused by acid. Scientists have discovered that burning fossil fuels creates acid rain through air pollution. Research acid rain information plus reference series. To learn about the history of acid rain and the problems it can cause, go to book rags. It can hae hairmfu effects on plants, aquatic ainimals an infrastructur. Transportation makes up 43 percent, and 32 percent belongs to industrial combustion. It can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a boulder. Raindrops fall to earth when clouds become saturated, or filled, with water droplets. The term acid rain is commonly used to mean the deposition of acidic components in rain, snow, fog, dew, or dry particles. Rain, acid article about rain, acid by the free dictionary. As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it affects a variety of plants and animals.
A more precise term is acid deposition, which has two parts. Acid rain 2001 national museum of women in the arts. Acid rain acid rain was discovered in the 19th century by robert angus smith, a pharmacist from manchester england, who measured high levels of acidity in rain falling over industrial regions of england and contrasted them to the much lower levels he observed in less polluted areas near the coast. It may be marked by significant disruptions and lightning a thunderstorm, heavy precipitation snowstorm, rainstorm, heavy freezing rain, strong winds tropical cyclone, windstorm, or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere as in a dust storm, blizzard. Acid rain has a devastating impact on forests, freshwater and soil. Although there are natural sources of acid in the atmosphere, acid rain is primarily caused by emissions.
Sulfuric acid and nitric acid are both components of acid rain and are very damaging. A storm is any disturbed state of a body especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying a wind force. Acid rain is responsible for severe environmental destruction across the world and occurs most commonly in the north eastern united states, eastern europe and increasingly in parts of china and india. It kills insect and aquatic lifeforms as well as causes damage to buildings and having impacts on human health. Thus, for example, fumaroles from the laguna caliente crater of poas volcano create extremely high amounts of acid rain and fog, with acidity as high as a ph of 2, clearing an area of any vegetation and frequently causing irritation to the eyes and lungs of inhabitants in. Pdf the term acid rain describes the process of wet deposition of acidic. Acid deposition can reduce the ph of surface waters, lower biodiversity, and increase the susceptibility of plants to disease and other stressors. Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has. Acid rain is the common name for acidic deposits that fall to earth 1 from the. Clean or unpolluted rain is slightly acidic, because carbon dioxide and water in the air react together to form carbonic acid, a weak acid. The phenomenon became an important part of his book air and rain.
Acid can harm plants, aquatic animals like fish and frogs, and the soil. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are gases that occur naturally in the earths atmosphere. With the continuation of industrialization and urbanization, acid rain ar has. Acid rain is a broad term used to describe several ways that acids fall out of the atmosphere. Acid rain had contributed to erosion and corrosion of buildings and materials. Acid rain may be one of the most significant environmental problems of the coming decade. Acid rain can damage plants, animals, soil, water, building materials, and people.
Acid rain comprises recycled rubber tires and tubing that chakaia booker has sliced, stripped, woven, twisted, and riveted into an expressive tableau. Acid rain had contributed to the decline of red spruce at high elevations by reducing that species cold tolerance. List of books and articles about acid rain online research. Acid rain, or more precisely acid precipitation, is the word used to describe rainfall that has a ph level of less than 5. National acid precipitation assessment program report to. It was not until the late 1960s and early 1970s, however, that acid rain was recognized as a regional. Of nitric acid rain on the frisian language and free essay paper topic. Pdf acid rain is one of the major environmental threats since 19th century. Sediment moves from one place to another through the process of erosion.
The condition of the soil will be decreased if acid rain affects by the soil. Millions of water droplets bump into each other as they gather in a cloud. Electricity heats and lights buildings and runs appliances such as televisions and video. The principal natural phenomena that contribute acidproducing gases to the atmosphere are emissions from volcanoes. Group of acid rain is known information regarding acid rains chemical variations. The discovery of acid rain yale university press blog. Acid rain has been blamed on the decline of forests in certain areas, explained at.
National acid precipitation assessment program report to congress 2011. Emissions over time canadian emissions of so 2 in 2011 were 1. There are various natural causes, such as gases from volcanoes. Acid rain describes any form of precipitation that contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Top results in this book table of contents last display settings. Because of its scarcity, water plays a central role in middle eastern politics and society. Concern in the united states, europe, and canada began to rise in the 1960s when researchers noticed that fish populations in remote wilderness lakes were declining for unknown reasons and. If the soil is not fertile, the plants cannot grow. A 1993 survey in 27 european countries revealed air pollution damage or mortality in 23 percent.
This form of air pollution is currently a subject of great controversy because of its worldwide environmental damages. Acid rain, precipitation possessing a ph of about 5. A bibliometric analysis of research on acid rain mdpi. What place in the world receives the most acid rain.
The chemicals that produce acid rain can be released by dying and rotting plant life acid rain facts 3. It can also occur in the form of snow, fog, and tiny bits of dry material that settle to earth. Acid rain is caused bi emeessions o sulphur dioxide an nitrogen oxide, which react wi the watter molecules in the atmosphere tae produce acids. It began in the 1950s when midwest coal plants spewed sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air, turning cloudsand rainfallacidic. The objective of our research program is to develop information which will assure that the nation. Sediment can consist of rocks and minerals, as well as the remains of plants and animals. When a small water droplet bumps into a bigger one, it condenses, or combines, with the larger one. Produced when sulfur dioxide and various nitrogen oxides combine with atmospheric moisture, acid rain can contaminate drinking water, damage vegetation and aquatic life, and erode buildings and monuments. Rain acquires additional acidity through the reaction of air pollutants primarily. People burn fossil fuels such as coal and oil to make electricity. The publication of the 1993 library edition makes this authoritative, multivolume encyclopedia available in a highquality, durable library binding that will stand up to daily use by students and general readers. May 04, 2016 this acid rain problem became the environmental issue of the 1970s and eventually led to president george h. If the acid rain drops on the rivers, lakes and streams, it can affect the fish and other fresh water animals there.
Nov 04, 2017 natural processes such as bacterial action in soil, forest fires, volcanic action, and lightning make up five percent of nitrogen oxide emission. Acid rain had adversely affected aquatic life in about 10 percent of eastern lakes and streams. It draws on this to examine how the current growing reliance on irrigation, the mounting water scarcity, salinization of soils, and the rising tensions between riparian states affects countries and could impact them in the twentyfirst century. As this continues to happen, the droplet gets heavier and heavier. Water encyclopedia, 2015 b fish kill due to acidification of river juliana muna, n. Rain, acid synonyms, rain, acid pronunciation, rain, acid translation, english dictionary definition of rain, acid. Acid rain is a rain or ony ither form o precipitation that is unuisually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevatit levels o hydrogen ions law ph. Modern anthropogenic acid deposition began in europe and eastern north america after world war ii, as countries in those areas greatly increased their consumption of fossil fuels. Her sculpture highlights the allusive power of her assemblage technique, intertwining the traditionally domestic, feminine pursuits of weaving and handiwork with industrial technology, using saws and drills to work with her unwieldy medium. Nowhere in the world is water more important than in the middle east and north africa. This acid rain problem became the environmental issue of the 1970s and eventually led to president george h. In 1990, congress passed the clean air act which is now known as the acid rain program to reduce as well as control the levels of sulfur dioxide.
Clean or unpolluted rain is slightly acidic, because carbon dioxide and water in the air react together to form. Acid rain definition of acid rain by the free dictionary. Acid rain and geology acid rain is a term that refers to a mixture of dry and wet deposited materials that falls in precipitation from the atmosphere, containing higher then normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids environmental protection agency. The phrase acid rain was first used in 1852 by scottish chemist robert angus smith during his investigation of rainwater chemistry near industrial cities in england and scotland. Acid rain is the common name for acidic deposits that fall to earth 1 from the atmosphere. Aug 29, 20 acid rains precursors, so 2 and no x, can be transported thousands of kilometres through the atmosphere, returning to earth as dry or wet deposition. According to the environmental protection agency epa acid rain can be particularly damaging to the young from many species of plant and wildlife. It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure. These gases react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals in the atmosphere to form various acidic compounds, including mild sulfuric acid and nitric acid.