acid rain
TRANSCRIPT
Acid Rain
The branch on the left is from a tree in the Black Forest in Germany.What has caused it to change colour and shape?
The Formation of Acid Rain
Burn fossil fuels in
Transport, Industry, Homes, power
stations
The rest reacts with sunlight and ozone in the atmosphere; nitric (HNO3), and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) are produced
Gas, Oil, Coal
Some falls back to Earth close to the source as dry particles, gas and aerosols (NOx and SO2) (dry deposition)
NO2CO, CO2, SO2
It is dissolved in the moisture in the atmosphere making
2H+ and SO42_
and can be carried large distances before falling as rain or snow (wet deposition)
TRANSBOUNDARY POLLUTION
H2O
H+ NO3
_ SO4
2_
Transboundary deposition
• The countries that are producing the majority of the Pollution that causes acid rain (Britain, Germany, USA) aren’t that badly affected by acid rain.
• Instead, the wind direction means the acid rain falls elsewhere (in Europe this affect Scandinavia; USA affects Canada).
The Result
Acids activate aluminium from the soil which leaches into water and fish die. Drinking water is contaminated
This stand of trees near Most, Czech Republic, has completely died.
Buildings and precious stone objects are weathered away as the stone reacts with the acid
When soil is contaminated, planting production drops
How might the effects of acid rain be reduced?
Burning coal which contains less sulphur
Remove sulphur from coal before it is used
Remove sulphur from waste gases after it is used (Flue gas desulphurisation)
Using unleaded petrol
But …
It costs
Tales a long time to phase out thermal power stations
Impact on coal mining industry as demand falls
International agreements to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions
Add lime to lakes affected by acidification
Switch to alternative energy supplies
Energy conservation methods