Acid Rain :: Free Essay Writer

Acid rain is a form of over-confidence that contains high levels of sulfuric or nitric savages. In simple terms, acid rain is hail, rain, snow, or sleet that is more acidic than normal. Precipitation naturally is a little acidic but when the pH level drops below a banding standard it is acid rain. In general, acid rain is a very complicated problem that is caused by many factors. In this paper, I will demonstrate how emissions caused by humans effect pH level in precipitation.First, I will define, in detail, what acid rain is. Acid rain is precipitation that has a pH less than 5.6. The pH scale is a scale that measures if a compound is acidic, basic, or neutral. Neutral is in the middle which has a pH of 7. fundamental has a pH between 7.1 and 14 and acidic has a pH between 6.9 and 0. For example, vinegar is acidic with a pH reading of 2.4. Normal precipitation has a pH between 6.9 and 5.9.Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and various nitrogen oxides combine with atmosph eric moisture. Sulfur dioxide is modernised by the emissions of electric utilities, industrial companies, commercial and residential heating, smelters and diesel engines. Sulfur dioxide piddles sulfuric acid, which will produce acid rain. Nitrogen oxides are produced mostly by transportation (cars, trucks, planes, etc.). Nitrogen oxides produce nitric acid, which will also produce acid rain. The main contributor to acid rain is sulfur oxides (SO2 and SO3). Sulfur oxides are produced naturally but not in the concentration that humans produce. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, can be largely blamed for the production of sulfur oxides. The process of acid rain starts when photons from the sun hit ozone molecules (O3) to form oxygen (O2). Next, the O2 molecules react with water (H2O) to form a negatively charged hydroxyl radicals (OH-). It is the hydroxyl radicals that are trustworthy for oxidizing sulfur dioxide. This will produce sulfuric acid. Oxidation occurs in clouds m ostly above cities with heavily polluted air. These clouds contain ammonia and ozone that can catalyze the reaction. This fashion that the ammonia and ozone will produce more sulfuric acid fast and the ammonia and ozone will not be consumed in the reaction. Nitrogen oxides are produce from power plants and exhaust fumes from automobiles. The reactions to make nitric acid are similar to the reactions to make sulfuric acid.