Anjanet Loon Worksheet 4b: Acid Rain

1. Why is rain naturally acid? (By this do you mean rain?) Rain is naturally acidic with a pH of 5.65 due to the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide.

2. How is acid rain defined? "Acid rain" is a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. It must have a pH of less than 5.6.

3. Write word and balanced equations (with state symbols) to show the production of sulphur dioxide from burning sulphur in oxygen.

4. Write word and balanced symbol equations (with state symbols) to show the above reactions.


   




    

5. Write word and balanced equations (with state symbols) to show the above reaction.

  

6. Write word and balanced symbol equations (with state symbols) to show the above reactions.     

7. Outline, using several examples, of the effects of acid rain on buildings, vegetation, aquatic life and human health. Include pictures if appropriate. Buildings Stone that contains calcium carbonate, eg. marble is eroded by acid rain. With sulphuric acid, the calcium carbonate reacts to form calcium sulphate, which can be washed away by rainwater, making the stone more vulnerable to erosion. Salts can also form within the stone that can cause cracks and breakage. Vegetation Increased acidity in the soil leaches important nutrients such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+. Reduction in Mg2+ can cause a reduction in chlorophyll and lower the ability of plants to photosynthesize. Acid rain also affects trees by leaching aluminium from rocks and depositing it into the soil water, causing stunted growth, thinning of tree tops, and yellowing and loss of leaves. The Al +3 ion damages the roots and prevents the tree from taking up enough water and nutrients to survive. Aquatic life Leaching aluminium from rocks and depositing it into the water can also kill fish. Also, aquatic life is sensitive to pH. Below pH 6, fish such as salmon and minnow, insect larvae and algae decline. Also, below pH 5.2, snails cannot

survive and below pH 5, microscopic animals cannot survive. Lakes cannot support life below pH 4. Also, nitrates from acid rain can lead to eutrophication. Human health The acids dissolved in water irritate the mucous membranes and increase the risk of erspiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. In acidic water, there is also a greater chance that poisonous ions such as Cu2+ and Pb2+ leach from pipes. In addition, high levels of aluminium in water is linked to Alzheimers.