Acid rain with example of occurrences Assignment Help

What is acid rain?

Acid and rain makes the word acid rain. When the composition of different harmful gases increases in the atmosphere, they mix with the water droplets of the clouds thus coming down along with the rain or in the form of rain called acid rain.

In elaborative way, when the gases like co2, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide etc increase in the atmosphere due to human activities, they mix with water droplets in the clouds, anytime when the rains pours on the surface of the earth it becomes acidic due to nitric acid and sulfuric acid called acid rain. Anything that get acidic can harm the living beings. Acid usually burn the skin and this is the reason when rain water becomes acidic it results in many types of diseases. Generally, rain water is slightly acidic, but increasing the concentration of harmful gases can increase the extent of acidity thus increasing risk of lives on the earth.

Causes of acid rain: There are many reasons for increasing acidity in rain water. Some of them are listed below:

1. Burning of fossil fuels release harmful gases like sulphur dioxide.
2. Cutting down of tress removes the control for increasing pollution.
3. Industries that emits poisonous gases.
4. Gases and chemicals used for agricultural purposes.
5. Gases that is emitted from untreated garbage.

All this leads to increase in harmful gases that mix with rain water thus coming down in the form of acid rain.

Effect of acid rain

The effect of acid rain is not just limited to a particular place or area. In fact it can even go up to larger area from countries to countries, nation and continents. Like the acid is harmful, similarly is the acid rain. The effects of acid rain are:

1. Large and small water bodies like sea, river, pond etc get affected due to aid rain and the species living inside it start dying due to the increasing acidity of the water.
2. Ph of soil declines with release of aluminum and magnesium.
3. Forest is also affected due to acid rain. The leaves of the tress falls down, gets burn, bark get weakens, making them more susceptible to insects and different diseases.
4. Overall the yield of plants gets lowered and the food product we eat from the plant that has received acid rain can even be harmful for the body.
5. It takes away the beauty of old monuments, building and historical places. The places that are glory for the country gets weakened due to washing of essential minerals.
6. In the soil, it also takes away all the nutrients that are necessary for growth of the plants.

This way acid rain can cause lots of damage to lives and property in the earth.

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Examples of destruction caused by acid rain:

Acid rain has hampered many ponds, streams and lakes in different parts of the country. Recently, a lake that is reported as most acidic is Little Echo pond in Franklin, New York whose PH values is lowered due to acid rain. Likewise, most of streams in mid- Atlantic coastal plain have become acidic. Many more areas and monuments are reported to be affected by acid rain. Among several, one is Leshan Giant Buddha that is in china. Due to acid rain, the monument has turned black destroying its beauty. Taj mahal; one of the wonder of the world have been affected due to acid rain. Acid rain has resulted due to the gases generated from the nearby areas. These have washed away all the important minerals of the stones of this monument and hence its marble has faded. These are only some of the example destruction caused by acid rain; many more of such example can be noticed and read which the negative results of acid rain.

Measure to reduce acid rain:

1. Firstly, use of alternative source of energy so that burning of fossil fuel will no more be required.
2. Rules by the government to keep area clean and healthy.
3. Use of old vehicles must be banned and in fact vehicles that emit less smoke or no smoke at all must be encouraged.
4. Proper dumping of industrials wastes.
5. Use of harmful chemicals for agricultural purpose must be stopped.
6. Old monuments must be timely checked and maintenance work must be done form time to time.

Presently, government of different countries are trying its best to reduce the pollution and invent some of the important measure that can be alternatively used as the source of electricity and cooking. Beside this, awareness programs and several campaign for cleanliness, quality and healthy life, afforestation, etc have been launched from time to time so as to make every individual work for the country and the nation.