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AP Environmental Science
Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution
7.7 Acid Rain
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What is the pH level of acid rain?
Below 5.6
The key pollutants contributing to acid rain are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides
Acid rain can harm
ecosystems
and aquatic life.
What is the pH level of normal rain?
5.6 - 7
Sulfur dioxide is primarily released from burning fossil
fuels
Match the pollutant with its formation process:
Sulfur dioxide ↔️
S
O
2
+
SO_{2} +
S
O
2
+
H
2
O
+
H_{2}O +
H
2
O
+
O
2
→
H
2
S
O
4
O_{2} \rightarrow H_{2}SO_{4}
O
2
→
H
2
S
O
4
Nitrogen oxides ↔️
N
O
x
+
NO_{x} +
N
O
x
+
H
2
O
+
H_{2}O +
H
2
O
+
O
2
→
H
N
O
3
O_{2} \rightarrow HNO_{3}
O
2
→
H
N
O
3
Which acids are formed in the atmosphere to create acid rain?
Sulfuric and nitric acids
Sulfur dioxide reacts with water and oxygen to form
sulfuric acid
.
Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water, oxygen, and other
chemicals
What is the primary source of sulfur dioxide pollution?
Burning fossil fuels
What is the main source of nitrogen oxides pollution?
Vehicle exhaust
Match the pollutant with its primary source:
Sulfur dioxide ↔️ Burning fossil fuels
Nitrogen oxides ↔️ Vehicle exhaust
Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water, oxygen, and other
substances
What is the chemical equation for the formation of sulfuric acid from sulfur dioxide?
S
O
2
+
SO_{2} +
S
O
2
+
H
2
O
+
H_{2}O +
H
2
O
+
O
2
→
H
2
S
O
4
O_{2} \rightarrow H_{2}SO_{4}
O
2
→
H
2
S
O
4
Acid rain can significantly affect
ecosystems
and aquatic life.
Nitrogen oxides react with water and oxygen to form
nitric
acid.
Sulfur dioxide (
S
O
2
SO_{2}
S
O
2
) is primarily formed by burning fossil fuels in power plants and industries.
Nitrogen oxides (
N
O
x
NO_{x}
N
O
x
) are released by vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions.
Acid rain affects
ecosystems
, forests, and aquatic life.
Match the effect of acid rain with the environmental component it affects:
Forests ↔️ Soil acidification
Aquatic Life ↔️ Lake acidification
Biodiversity ↔️ Decline of sensitive species
Acid rain damages aquatic life by acidifying lakes and
rivers
.
Order the primary sources of acid rain pollutants by their main outputs:
1️⃣ Burning fossil fuels in power plants and industries ||| Vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions
Acid rain affects
fish populations
in lakes and rivers.
Acid rain causes soil acidification, nutrient leaching, and toxic metal
release
.
Acid rain can lead to the disappearance of sensitive species in aquatic
ecosystems
.
Match the environmental component with its effect from acid rain:
Forests ↔️ Nutrient leaching
Aquatic Life ↔️ Harm to fish populations
Biodiversity ↔️ Decline of sensitive species
Acid rain can damage aquatic ecosystems by acidifying lakes and releasing toxic
metals
.
Acid rain primarily affects biodiversity by harming forests and
aquatic
ecosystems.
What are the primary pollutants that form acid rain?
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
The health effects of acid rain are primarily
indirect
.
Acid rain leaches heavy metals from soil into drinking
water
.
What is the primary source of the health effects of acid rain?
Indirect exposure
Fine particulate matter in acid rain irritates the respiratory system, aggravating conditions like asthma and
bronchitis
What toxic metals can acid rain leach into drinking water from soil and pipes?
Lead and copper
Acid rain can increase the concentration of
toxic metals
in the food chain.
What are the primary strategies for reducing acid rain?
Reduce SO2 and NOx emissions
Scrubbers in power plants and catalytic converters in vehicles help lower acid rain by reducing
emissions
Switching to renewable energy sources reduces reliance on fossil fuels and lowers
emissions
.
What is the pH level below which precipitation is considered acid rain?
5.6
5.6
5.6
Normal rain has a pH level between
5.6
5.6
5.6
and 7
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