What is acid rain and what are its effects?
Acid rain, also known as acid deposition or acid precipitation, is defined as rain or any other form of precipitation that has increased acidity caused by environmental factors (such as atmospheric pollutants). It need not necessarily be in liquid form; the definition of acid rain also includes dust, fog, snow, hail and gases.
According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, it was Robert Angus Smith, a Scottish chemist, who coined the term in 1852 while studying rainwater chemistry near industrial cities.
Acid rain is formed when Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides are discharged into the atmosphere. These are waste gases released by the combustion of fossil fuels by automobiles, electric power plants, and smelting and refining facilities. Although the leading cause of acid rain is man-made pollution, natural disasters play a part as well. Volcanoes can cause acid rain by blasting pollutants into the air, which are carried in jet streams and turned into acid rain far from the volcano.
Acid rain is extremely harmful to the environment. By washing away the protective film on leaves, it weakens trees and stunts their growth and renders them vulnerable to extremes of climate and pests. It changes the composition of soil and water bodies, endangering the lives of the creatures that inhabit them. As the acidity level of water increases, fishes and other aquatic creatures die in large numbers. Further, acid rain corrodes exposed surfaces and contributes to the deterioration of marble structures and monuments.
We can play our part in reducing acid rain by decreasing atmospheric pollution such as by reducing use of vehicles (by walking, bicycling or using public transport) and by reducing electricity use or switching to solar power (which does not involve the burning of fossil fuels).
