Acid Rain Essay -- Environment Environmental Science

unpleasant RainAcid Rain, or more precisely acidic precipitation, is the term used to reveal precipitatefall that has a pH level of less than 5.6--a pH of 7 being neutral. This form of air pollution is currently a qualified of great controversy because of the damage it does to the env weightliftment and property worldwide. For the last tenner years, this occurrence has brought destruction to thousands of lakes and streams in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe. It also leads to the decline in quality of buildings and statues by reacting with several minerals. Acid rain is formed when oxides of northward and sulfite connect with moisture in the atmosphere to make nitric and secic acids. These acids apprize be carried away far from its origin. The two primary semens of acid rain be sulfur dioxide (SO2), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Sulfur dioxide is a colorless natural gas released as a by-product of combusted fossil fuels containing sulfur (Farnham, http//www.e ms.psu.edu/info/seek/AcidRain.html). A variety of industrial processes, such as the production of iron and steel, avail factories, and crude oil processing produce this gas. Sulfur dioxide preempt also be emitted into the atmosphere by natural disasters or actor (Farnham, http//www.ems.psu.edu/info/explore/AcidRain.html). This accounts for ten percent of all sulfur dioxide emission, sexual climax from vol backsideoes, sea spray, plankton, and rotting vegetation. Overall, 69.4 percent of sulfur dioxide is produced by industrial combustion. barely 3.7 percent is caused by transportation (Farnham, http//www.ems.psu.edu/info/explore/AcidRain.html). The other chemical substance that is also chiefly responsible for the make-up of acid rain is nitrogen oxide. Oxides of nitrogen is a term used to describe any multiform of nitrogen with any amount of oxygen atoms. Nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are all oxides of nitrogen. These gases are by-products of firing processes of extr eme high temperatures (automobiles, utility plants), and in chemical industries (fertilizer production) (Phamornsuwana, http//www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/9111/DOC.HTMLSPECIFIC). Natural processes such as bacterial body process in soil, forest fires, volcanic action, and lightning make up five percent of nitrogen oxide emission (Phamornsuwana, http//www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/9111/DOC.HTMLSPECIFIC). Transportation ... ...emits nitrogen oxide, automobiles and coal-fired electric utility boilers (Farnham, http//www.ems.psu.edu/info/explore/AcidRain.html). What humans can do, as citizens, to degrade sulfur and nitrogen dioxide emission is to compact the use of fossil fuels. Car pools, familiar transportation, or walking can reduce tons of nitrogen oxide emissions. using less energy benefits the environment because the energy used comes from fossil fuels which can lead to acid rain. For example, turning off lights not being used, and reduce air conditioning and h eat usage. Replacing old appliances and electronics with newer energy cost-efficient products is also an excellent idea. Sulfur dioxide emission can be cut down by adding scrubbers to utility plants (Farnham, http//www.ems.psu.edu/info/explore/AcidRain.html). An alternative power source can also be used in power plants to reduce emissions. These alternatives are geothermal energy, solar power energy, wind energy, and water energy. Bibliography .Sarn Phamornsuwana (1999). Causes, personal effects and solutions of acid rain. Retrieved 9 Feb. .Shayne Farnham (1999). Acid rain Meteorology independent study. Retrieved 27 Mar.