| The term 'acid rain' is commonly used to mean | | | | animals. At pHs lower than 5 most fish eggs will |
| the deposition of acid component in rain, snow, | | | | not hatch and lower pHs can kill adult fish. As |
| fog, dew, or dry particles. They are the result of | | | | lakes become more acidic biodiversity is reduced. |
| air pollution. When any type of fuel is burnt, lots | | | | Acid rain has eliminated insect life and some fish |
| of different chemicals are produced. The smoke | | | | species. Soil biology can also be seriously damaged |
| that comes from a fire or the fumes that come | | | | by acid rain. Some tropical microbes can quickly |
| out of a car exhaust don't just contain the sooty | | | | consume acids but other microbes are unable to |
| grey particles that you can see - they also | | | | tolerate low pHs and are killed. The hydronium |
| contains lots of invisible gases. Some of these | | | | ions of acid rain also mobilize toxins and leach |
| gases (especially nitrogen oxides and sulphur | | | | away essential nutrients and minerals of the soil. |
| dioxide) react with the tiny droplets of water in | | | | The effects of acid rain can last for generations, |
| clouds to form sulphuric and nitric acids. The rain | | | | as the effects of pH level change can stimulate |
| from these clouds then falls as very weak acid - | | | | the continued leaching of undesirable chemicals into |
| which is why it is known as "acid rain". Acid rain | | | | otherwise pristine water sources, killing off |
| has an adverse effect on forest, freshwater and | | | | vulnerable insect and fish species and blocking |
| soil, killing off insects and aquatic life forms as well | | | | efforts to restore native life. On human health, |
| as causing damage to building and having possible | | | | acid rain have been shown to cause illness and |
| impact on human health. It is thought that acid | | | | premature deaths. Acid rain can also cause |
| rain can cause tree to grow more slowly or even | | | | damage to certain building materials and historical |
| to die. As it falls on a forest it trickles through the | | | | monuments. Acid rain can cause weathering on |
| leaves of the trees and run down into the soil | | | | ancient and valuable statues and has caused |
| below. Some of it find its way into streams and | | | | considerable damage. This is because the sulfuric |
| then on into the river and lakes, thus effecting its | | | | acid in the rain chemically reacts with the calcium |
| creatures. On other hand acid rain can affect | | | | compounds in the stones (limestone, sandstone, |
| trees by dissolving and washing way the nutrients | | | | marble and granite) to create gypsum, which then |
| and minerals in the soil which help in their growth. | | | | flakes off. This is also commonly seen on old |
| It is one of the major causes of the release of | | | | gravestones where the acid rain can cause the |
| harmful substances such as aluminum into the soil. | | | | inscription to become completely illegible. Acid rain |
| Somewhere, acid rain wear away the waxy | | | | also causes an increased rate of oxidation for iron. |
| protective coating of leaves, damaging them and | | | | Visibility is also reduced by sulfate and nitrate in |
| preventing them from being able to | | | | the atmosphere. REPRINT RIGHTS statement: |
| photosynthesize properly. On lakes and river | | | | This article is free for republishing by visitors |
| water, acid rain has a diverse effect. Both the | | | | provided the Author Bio box is retained as usual |
| lower Ph and higher aluminum concentration in the | | | | so that all links are Active/Linkable with no syntax |
| surface water that occur as a result of the acid | | | | changes. |
| rain can cause damage to fish and other aquatic | | | | |