Acid Rain Pollution
As the effects of acid rain pollution continue to get intense by the day, it's becoming obvious that this problem will take quite some time to get solved. Continue reading for more information on the causes and effects acid rain.
The fact that acid rain pollution is getting rampant by the day can be attributed to our ignorance about this phenomenon to a great extent. Even as we continue to inch towards what can be defined as an 'obvious disaster', not many people out there can boast of knowing what acid rain is or how it is caused. It may come as a surprise for many, but all of us have been contributing to this hazardous phenomenon in some or the other way. In this article, we will discuss some general acid rain facts which will shed some light on its causes and effects on the environment. It is very important to understand the causes of this phenomenon as it will make you understand how to reduce acid rain pollution impact on the planet.
Acid Rain Pollution Facts
In environmental science, acid rain is a phenomenon wherein rainwater gets contaminated by various pollutants in the atmosphere, and becomes acidic to such an extent that it can cause harm to several lifeforms on the planet. The acidic content of water determines its pH value, with the simple rule of the thumb being - more acidic content, low pH level. The pH levels for normal water that we use on day-to-day basis is more than 7 on the pH scale. The pH levels for rainwater ranges between 5.5 and 7 as a result of atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. When the pH levels for the same rainwater goes below 5.5, it is known as acid rain. The details of causes and effects of acid rain given below will give you a better idea of the entire phenomenon.
Causes of Acid Rain
So how does the pH levels of rainwater go below 5.5? The drastic fall in pH levels of water is attributed to the presence of gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere, and the presence of these gases in the atmosphere can be attributed to air pollution triggered by various anthropogenic activities (human activities). While natural causes of acid rain pollution do exist, they are not as harmful as human induced air pollution. Harmful gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide are released in the atmosphere as a result of various human activities, most prominent among which is pollution of air caused as a result of burning of fossil fuels.
Our dependence on fossil fuels has increased manifold over the last few years. These fossil fuels form the primary fuel source for vehicles as well as stationary sources such as factories and power plants. When we talk about acid rain causes, oil spills also need to be taken into consideration as the harmful substances on the ocean surface get evaporated with the water and come down in the form of acid rain. Being extremely light in nature, these chemical substances start soaring in the sky and come in contact with the rain bearing clouds. As these clouds start precipitating, the water droplets come in contact with various chemical substances in the atmosphere and oxygen, and this triggers a chemical reaction which results in acid rain.
Effects of Acid Rain
Moving on from the causes and chemistry of acid rain, let's go to the effects of this environmental issue on our planet and its various lifeforms. The effects of acid rain can be seen on plants, animals as well as humans - directly as well as indirectly. The decrease in production of crops is one of the most obvious evidence of acid rain effects on plants. It doesn't just impact the plants directly, but also increases the acidic content of the soil and affects plant growth. Basically, any species of plants can be useful indicator species for acid rain pollution as the acidic water can corrode any plant species that it comes in contact with. Similar hazardous effects are seen on animals, especially those inhabiting the aquatic biomes on the planet.
While the direct acid rain effects on humans include health conditions marked by irritation of skin and burns, the indirect effects of the same are experienced when we come in contact with plants and animals affected by acid rain pollution, most often for our dietary requirements. Even though there is no concrete evidence for the same, some scientists are of the opinion that acid rain can also trigger skin cancer in humans. Other than this, acid rain can also corrodes metals - which means your vehicles and property are also vulnerable to its threat.
The key to reducing acid rain pollution impact on the planet is to eliminate its causes one by one, starting from making sure that you don't contribute to air pollution. Even though it will take some time, the end result is bound to be in our favor. The biggest problem, however, is that you don't see the hazardous effects of acid rain overnight - which may make you feel everything is perfectly normal, and by the time you understand the seriousness of the issue - it may be too late to do anything about it.
As the effects of acid rain pollution continue to get intense by the day, it's becoming obvious that this problem will take quite some time to get solved. Continue reading for more information on the causes and effects acid rain.
The fact that acid rain pollution is getting rampant by the day can be attributed to our ignorance about this phenomenon to a great extent. Even as we continue to inch towards what can be defined as an 'obvious disaster', not many people out there can boast of knowing what acid rain is or how it is caused. It may come as a surprise for many, but all of us have been contributing to this hazardous phenomenon in some or the other way. In this article, we will discuss some general acid rain facts which will shed some light on its causes and effects on the environment. It is very important to understand the causes of this phenomenon as it will make you understand how to reduce acid rain pollution impact on the planet.
Acid Rain Pollution Facts
In environmental science, acid rain is a phenomenon wherein rainwater gets contaminated by various pollutants in the atmosphere, and becomes acidic to such an extent that it can cause harm to several lifeforms on the planet. The acidic content of water determines its pH value, with the simple rule of the thumb being - more acidic content, low pH level. The pH levels for normal water that we use on day-to-day basis is more than 7 on the pH scale. The pH levels for rainwater ranges between 5.5 and 7 as a result of atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. When the pH levels for the same rainwater goes below 5.5, it is known as acid rain. The details of causes and effects of acid rain given below will give you a better idea of the entire phenomenon.
Causes of Acid Rain
So how does the pH levels of rainwater go below 5.5? The drastic fall in pH levels of water is attributed to the presence of gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere, and the presence of these gases in the atmosphere can be attributed to air pollution triggered by various anthropogenic activities (human activities). While natural causes of acid rain pollution do exist, they are not as harmful as human induced air pollution. Harmful gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide are released in the atmosphere as a result of various human activities, most prominent among which is pollution of air caused as a result of burning of fossil fuels.
Our dependence on fossil fuels has increased manifold over the last few years. These fossil fuels form the primary fuel source for vehicles as well as stationary sources such as factories and power plants. When we talk about acid rain causes, oil spills also need to be taken into consideration as the harmful substances on the ocean surface get evaporated with the water and come down in the form of acid rain. Being extremely light in nature, these chemical substances start soaring in the sky and come in contact with the rain bearing clouds. As these clouds start precipitating, the water droplets come in contact with various chemical substances in the atmosphere and oxygen, and this triggers a chemical reaction which results in acid rain.
Effects of Acid Rain
Moving on from the causes and chemistry of acid rain, let's go to the effects of this environmental issue on our planet and its various lifeforms. The effects of acid rain can be seen on plants, animals as well as humans - directly as well as indirectly. The decrease in production of crops is one of the most obvious evidence of acid rain effects on plants. It doesn't just impact the plants directly, but also increases the acidic content of the soil and affects plant growth. Basically, any species of plants can be useful indicator species for acid rain pollution as the acidic water can corrode any plant species that it comes in contact with. Similar hazardous effects are seen on animals, especially those inhabiting the aquatic biomes on the planet.
While the direct acid rain effects on humans include health conditions marked by irritation of skin and burns, the indirect effects of the same are experienced when we come in contact with plants and animals affected by acid rain pollution, most often for our dietary requirements. Even though there is no concrete evidence for the same, some scientists are of the opinion that acid rain can also trigger skin cancer in humans. Other than this, acid rain can also corrodes metals - which means your vehicles and property are also vulnerable to its threat.
The key to reducing acid rain pollution impact on the planet is to eliminate its causes one by one, starting from making sure that you don't contribute to air pollution. Even though it will take some time, the end result is bound to be in our favor. The biggest problem, however, is that you don't see the hazardous effects of acid rain overnight - which may make you feel everything is perfectly normal, and by the time you understand the seriousness of the issue - it may be too late to do anything about it.
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