ACID RAIN

Project presented by:

Khadija Shabbir, Sheherbano
Afzaal, Moizzah T.Gilani. Aimen
Zaidi and Minahil Amin.
 Definition:
 "Acid rain" is a popular term referring to the deposition of
wet and dry acidic components.
 Distilled water, which contains no carbon dioxide, has a
neutral pH of 7.
 Liquids with a pH less than 7 are acidic, and those with a
pH greater than 7 are bases.
 Carbonic acid then can ionize in water forming low
concentrations of hydronium Acid deposition as an
environmental issue would include additional acids to
H2CO3.
Just wait and see:]
What causes acid rain?
 Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is released by
burning gasoline, oil, and wood.
 •Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): CFCs are the chemicals
that are used in industry, refrigeration, air conditioning
systems, and consumer products.
 •Hazardous air pollutants (HAPS): HAPS are released
into the air by sources such as chemical plants, dry
cleaners, printing plants, and motor vehicles (cars,
trucks, buses, and planes).
 HAPS can cause serious health problems like cancer,
birth defects, nervous system problems, and deaths that
are all due to people accidentally letting them go into the
air.
 Lead: Lead is released by house and car paint as well as the
manufacturing of lead batteries, fishing lures, certain parts of bullets,
some ceramic ware, water pipes, and fixtures.

 Nitrogen oxides: Nitrogen Oxides are released into the air by burning
fuels such as gasoline and coal.

 Ozone: Ozone is released by motor vehicles, industries, burning coal,

gasoline, and other fossil fuels, and in the chemicals that are in
hairspray and paints.

 Particulate matter (PM): PM, little particles of pollution, is released by

cars, trucks, and buses that are burning diesel fuel, fertilizers,
pesticides, road construction, steel making, mining, and turning on fire
places and wood stoves.
 Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): VOCs are
released into the air by burning gasoline, wood, coal,
or natural gas, solvents, paints, glues, and other
products that are used at work or at home. 
 There are a lot of similarities in all of these pollutants.
 Most of the pollutants are from automobiles.
 Automobiles release harmful smoke into the air, which
causes acid rain.
 Coal, oil, and gasoline are also some of the most
common causes of all of the pollutants.
 Effects of acid rain on plant life.
 Both natural vegetation and crops are affected by acid
rain.

 The roots are damaged by acidic rainfall, causing the

growth of the plant to be stunted, or even in its death.

 Useful micro organisms which release nutrients from

decaying organic matter, into the soil are killed off,
resulting in less nutrients being available for the plants..

 Plant germination and reproduction is also inhibited by

the effects of acid rain.
See for yourself?
Effects of acid rain on aquatic life
 The action of acid rain causes harmful elements like mercury and
aluminum to be leached from the soil and rocks and it is then
carried into the lakes where aquatic life may be affected.
 Warning signs have been posted at several lakes, telling about
the dangers of eating fish which may have been poisoned by
mercury.
 Just as the soil has a natural ability to neutralize the acidity of
rain water, within a certain limit, so also lakes and other water
bodies can to a certain extent nullify the effects of acid rain.
 However as the acidity increases, the natural mechanisms are
no longer able to cope.
 As the water gets more acidic its pH goes down.
 As the pH reaches 5.5, plankton, certain insects and crustaceans
begin to die.
 At a pH of around 5.0, the fish population begin to die.
Effects on animals and birds.
 All living organisms are interdependent on each other.
 If a lower life form is killed, other species that
depended on it will also be affected.
 Every animal up the food chain will be affected.
 Animals and birds, like waterfowl or beavers, which
depended on the water for food sources or as a
habitat, also begin to die.
 Due to the effects of acid rain, animals which
depended on plants for their food also begin to suffer.
 Tree dwelling birds and animals also begin to languish
due to loss of habitat.
Let’s see!
 What We Can Do???

 There are many ways that people can stop pollution.

 One major way is to reduce the amount of trips that you take in
your car.
 An other way that a lot of our pollution is caused by creating
electrical energy.
 When electricity is created, fuels are usually burned, an this
caused the pollution, which causes acid rain.
 The generation of electric power produces more pollution than any
other industry in USA.
 Burning coal and other fossils fuels causes most of our pollution.
 This is why in some places around the world, acid rain is
monitored very closely.
 Every time that you turn on the lights, that causes the pollution
that causes acid rain.
 Only run the dish washer with the full load
 Only run the washing machine with a full load
 Turn off the lights in the empty rooms or when you will be away from home
 Turn off the hot water tank when you will be gone for a long period of time
 Turn the heat at night and when you will be not at the home for the night
 Don't use the air conditioner as much install fluorescent light bulbs instead
on incandescent light bulbs
 Try ro reduce, reuse, and recycle as often as you can
 Try not to burn a fire as you usually do
 Keep the pool cover on the pool when ever you are not using it
 When you are going to work, you could walk, ride you bike, or take a bus.
 Use alternate fuels, ethanol, propane or natural gas
 Limit the amount of long trips you taking in car
 Make sure that you vehicles air conditioning system is not leaking
See for yourself!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

 What should you install instead of

incandescent lights?
 What pH does normal water have?
 What percentage of lakes out of 202 has
become less acidic?
 What are CFCs?
 Why does acid rain hurt trees?
THANK YOU…..
PRESENTED TO:
MISS BUSHRA MALIHA.