Introduction to Acid Rain
Acid rain is the term used to describe the deposition of acidic air pollution. Although some air pollutants fall directly back to Earth, a lot of it returns in rain, snow, sleet, hail, mist or fog, hence the term "acid rain".
When power stations, factories, houses and cars emit pollution into the air, it contains chemicals known as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These chemicals may either fall directly back to the Earth due to gravity, or they may mix with water (moisture) in the air to form acids. Once acids have formed, they can be transported long distances by the wind before being deposited in rain, snow or hail. This is what we commonly call acid rain.
Acid rain can have harmful impacts on the environment. It affects freshwater lakes and the wildlife that depend upon them. It also affects trees by harming leaves and soil, and it damages buildings made of limestone and marble.
During the 1970 and 1980s acid rain become a worldwide problem. In countries such as Britain and America, there are many power stations and factories that produce a large amount of pollution. This pollution is released several hundred feet up through tall chimneys to keep the air at ground level cleaner. It is then blown by the wind and deposited as acid rain in countries such as Canada, Norway, Sweden and Finland, which lie hundreds of miles downwind from the source of the pollution.
Once governments became aware of the problem of acid rain, they introduced international laws to clean up pollution from power stations and factories. Clean technology was used to reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases being released into the air.
We can all help reduce air pollution that causes acid rain. Some of the things we can do include using our car less for short journeys and walking or cycling instead, and saving more energy that we use at home, for heating, lighting and cooking.
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