Acid Rain
Normal Water has Carbon-dioxide already saturated in it leading to pH of 5.6
However, when this pH of rain water falls below 5.6, it leads to formation of Acid
Rain having pH equivalent to 2.1
Causes:
- Air pollution
- Air pollutants mainly Sulphur-oxides and Nitrogen-oxides
- These result in formation of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3)
respectively.
Fact:
Acid rain has pH lower than that present in lemon juice and vinegar!
* When acid rain falls on soil and plants, it causes number of chemical reactions and
these reaction lead to affecting:
- soil fertility
- nutrient availability
- crop growth
- crop yield
Impact of Acid Rain on Soil
1. Nutrient Unavailability:
- Acid rain increases acidity of soil which leads to decrease of essential nutrients like
Mg+2, Ca+2, K+ and Na+
- It instead replaces these nutrients with hydrogen (H+) ions
- Hence, the required nutrients are taken away from the soil
2. Aluminium Ions:
- Increased acidity causes formation of aluminuim ions which are poisonous and
toxic to plants and as a result kills them.
- They also make it difficult for plants to absorb water, leading to increase in water
loss
3. Removal of Waxy Layer:
- Acid rain removes the waxy layer on leaves of plants which leads to water loss and
making plants more susceptible to diseases
4. Impact on Sensitive Crops:
Normal Water has Carbon-dioxide already saturated in it leading to pH of 5.6
However, when this pH of rain water falls below 5.6, it leads to formation of Acid
Rain having pH equivalent to 2.1
Causes:
- Air pollution
- Air pollutants mainly Sulphur-oxides and Nitrogen-oxides
- These result in formation of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3)
respectively.
Fact:
Acid rain has pH lower than that present in lemon juice and vinegar!
* When acid rain falls on soil and plants, it causes number of chemical reactions and
these reaction lead to affecting:
- soil fertility
- nutrient availability
- crop growth
- crop yield
Impact of Acid Rain on Soil
1. Nutrient Unavailability:
- Acid rain increases acidity of soil which leads to decrease of essential nutrients like
Mg+2, Ca+2, K+ and Na+
- It instead replaces these nutrients with hydrogen (H+) ions
- Hence, the required nutrients are taken away from the soil
2. Aluminium Ions:
- Increased acidity causes formation of aluminuim ions which are poisonous and
toxic to plants and as a result kills them.
- They also make it difficult for plants to absorb water, leading to increase in water
loss
3. Removal of Waxy Layer:
- Acid rain removes the waxy layer on leaves of plants which leads to water loss and
making plants more susceptible to diseases
4. Impact on Sensitive Crops:
