by Ethel Smith

Created on: January 12, 2010

Acid rain sounds truly dreadful. There can few people who do not associate the word acid, with the power to burn and destroy. Just what is acid rain, though?

Acid rain.

Acid rain may fall as sleet, snow, rain or simply be fog that has an increased level of acidity. Carried by the wind, acid rain can affect many countries and will damage items such as cars, people by inhalation and the environment. Acid rain may increase the acidity of a pond or lake and so affect the wildlife living there.

Classifications of acidic levels.

0, on the pH scale, is used to classify the most acidic compound, whilst 7 on the pH scale is neutral. Somewhere in the range of 0 to 7 would determine the presence of acid..

Acid rain through natural sources.

The process of evaporation, which completes the cycle of rain, means that rain water is never pure, fresh, clean, water, these days. Over the years rain water which has been absorbed from the earth includes minerals and other matter as well as water. This may be in small amounts but, over time, these amounts will have increased dramatically.

The earth's natural phenomenon, such as Volcanoes and vegetation which is decaying, play havoc on the quality of rain water. Such sources will result in acid rain falling.

Man-made acid rain.

However, as we are all only too well aware, these days, mankind has created many problems which are harmful to our weather, climate and planet in general. Acid rain occurs when a chemical reaction takes place. If compounds, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, rise into the atmosphere, they will mix with oxygen and rain, causing problems. Along with other chemicals, these compounds will cause what is termed acid rain.

Companies that use coal, such as plants that use coal to produce electricity, increase the risk of producing more acid rain. Governments around the world are currently attempting to tackle these problems and use more environmentally friendly fuels.

The increase in the pollutants, that cause acid rain, is largely down to our modern lifestyles. Factories, power-plants, heavy traffic and the production of electricity, have all increased the amount of chemicals found in the atmosphere, which may cause acid rain. Some acid rain i, of course, inevitable, as it is also formed naturally.

However, with an increase in pollution, man-made acid rain seems to be on the increase. Unless mankind controls his production of damaging chemicals, the incidence of acid rain, and its damaging effects, will increase. The lasting effect of a general increase of acid rain will be loss of crops, damage to flora and fauna, and damage to the environment.

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