What causes acid rain and what are its environmental effects?

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Multiple Choice

What causes acid rain and what are its environmental effects?

Acid rain mainly comes from emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released when fossil fuels are burned. In the atmosphere these gases react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids, which then fall as rain or dry deposition. This acidic content lowers the pH of rain and of surface waters. The environmental effects are driven by this acidity: soils become more acidic, which can release toxic metals and deplete essential nutrients, stressing plants and reducing crop yields. In lakes and streams, lower pH harms or eliminates many aquatic species, alters food webs, and can lead to fish kills. Acid deposition also accelerates the corrosion of metals and the deterioration of buildings, statues, and other structures. Other pollutants like CO2, ozone depletion, or methane do not produce the same strong acidifying effects in rain—CO2 can form a mild carbonic acid, but the pronounced acid rain problem comes from SO2 and NOx forming sulfuric and nitric acids.

Acid rain mainly comes from emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released when fossil fuels are burned. In the atmosphere these gases react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids, which then fall as rain or dry deposition. This acidic content lowers the pH of rain and of surface waters.

The environmental effects are driven by this acidity: soils become more acidic, which can release toxic metals and deplete essential nutrients, stressing plants and reducing crop yields. In lakes and streams, lower pH harms or eliminates many aquatic species, alters food webs, and can lead to fish kills. Acid deposition also accelerates the corrosion of metals and the deterioration of buildings, statues, and other structures.

Other pollutants like CO2, ozone depletion, or methane do not produce the same strong acidifying effects in rain—CO2 can form a mild carbonic acid, but the pronounced acid rain problem comes from SO2 and NOx forming sulfuric and nitric acids.

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