Acid Rain
What is acid rain? …precipitation with a pH below 5.6
What causes acid rain? 1)Gases in the air chemically reacts with the water vapor or precipitation forming an acid. ***the gases come from burning fossil fuels -gases like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc…
How does acid rain affect ecosystems? 1)Makes bodies of water more acidic. * affects the organisms in the water. 2) Changes the pH of soil, causes problems for the plants.
Other problems caused by acid rain Property damage: *damages paint finishes (cars) *erodes structures *corrodes metals
Controlling acid rain 1)Eliminate / reduce pollution, mostly emissions from cars, factories, power plants. 2)International cooperation is needed
Things you need to know about pH
pH …is a measure of the Hydrogen ions. …uses a pH scale …pH below 7 = acid …pH above 7 = base (alkali) …pH of 7 = neutral
How we measure pH 1)pH paper – easy to use 2)pH meter – gives accurate pH 3)Litmus paper (red & blue) – just indicates if substance is an acid or base. 4)Other indicators – cabbage juice, some types of flower, etc…
Acids 1)From 0 – 6 on pH scale 2)are corrosive 3)Taste sour 4)Stronger acids are the lower pH’s Ex: battery acid, lemon juice, stomach acid
Bases 1)From 8 – 14 on pH scale 2)Are corrosive 3)Taste bitter 4)Stronger bases are the higher pH’s Ex: ammonia, detergents, baking soda, etc…