| ACID RAIN |
Acid rain is one of the worst forms of pollution that we are
creating. As the sun warms the earth, water evaporates from rivers, lakes,
seas and oceans. Green plants and trees draw water from beneath the soil's
surface and carry it upward to their leaves. It then evaporates from their
open pores. |
|
The water vapour that rises in the warm air, is moved as the mass of air
containing it moves, and as it rises it cools, eventually condensing into
clouds. Every day as much water falls on the surface of the planet as
evaporates from it. This is called the Hydrological Cycle. |
| FACT:- |
| The term 'Acid Rain' was first used over
100 years ago by an air pollution expert called Angus Smith to describe
polluted rain. |
| The air into which the water evaporates, and in which it is carried
consists mainly of oxygen and nitrogen. But there are other substances as
well, present in very small amounts such as nitrogen oxide and sulphur
dioxide. Both of these substances can turn into the deadly acids which form
acid rain. |
| FACT:- |
| World-wide over 1600 lakes have been 'killed' by acid rain! |
| Coal and oil power stations are one of the worst contributors to acid rain.
Scientist say that they produce most of the man made sulphur dioxide that can
turn into the deadly sulphuric acid. Industry also adds nitrogen oxide to the
air. |
|
| FACT:- |
| Every
year more than 25,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide are pumped into the
atmosphere. These deadly forms of acids eventually fall to the ground as acid
rain causing widespread damage. |
 |
| FACT:- |
| The
acid rain, which falls, in some parts of Sweden and Scotland is strong enough
to kill fish and whole forests. |
| Cars and lorries produce exhaust gasses such as nitrogen oxide which can
turn into nitric acid, then acid rain. More and more cars can now have
catalytic converters fitted to their exhaust systems to remove these harmful
and polluting gasses. But worldwide there are still millions of vehicles
running around that don't have this safety feature. |
| FACT:- |
Nitrogen oxides can weaken the lungs and cause illnesses such as pneumonia and
bronchitis.
Trees depend on nutrients such as magnesium and calcium for their survival.
in areas with high amounts of acid in the soil often caused by acid rain these
nutrients are washed away and aluminium is produced which may be taken up by
the roots.
Then the trees may literally starve to death. This is happening in forests
all over the world. |
| FACT:- |
Thousands of acres of trees are killed by acid rain every year.
The acid rain falling to earth settles again in lakes, rivers, seas and
oceans to start the Hydrological cycle again. The high levels of acidity are
killing fish and many other types of water life.
The high levels of acidity in rain, are capable of eating away iron and
stonework many priceless feature s on historic building are being destroyed,
such as the carvings on St Paul's Cathedral in London. Some stone work is
being eaten away at the rate of almost 3cm every 100 years. This unhappy state
of affairs is happening in many places all over the world. |
