acid rain
DESCRIPTION
A presentation to introduce the causes and effects of acid rain to GCSE students.TRANSCRIPT
The branch on the left is from a tree in the Black Forest in Germany.What has caused it to change colour and shape?
Learning objectives
• What is acid rain?
• How is acid rain formed?
• What effects does acid rain have on people and the environment?
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)
NO2 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_
Why is acid rain an international issue?
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, cereal (arable) production drops
Acid Rain – pages 116-117 NKG
1. Which gases cause acid rain and how are they produced?
2. How are these gases carried around the world?3. What is dry deposition?4. How is acid rain formed?5. List the effects of acid rain.6. How have people tried to clean up acid-rain-
affected lakes and forests?7. How could we prevent acid rain?
Extension:Design a cartoon to educate people about causes/effects of acid rain.