acid rain (webquest)

In this work We are going to explain what is the acid rain, their causes, what effects can this problem produce in trees, plants, lakes and water life, the environment , and the way all of this can affect us and our health. Also we are going to mention some of a lot of things that we can do to help stop pollution and contribute to reduce the acid rain.

Chemist



What is acid rain?
Acid gases are produced when fossil fuels like coal and oil are burned in power stations, factories and in our own homes. Most of these acid gases are blown into the sky, and when they mix with the clouds it can cause rain - or snow, sleet, fog, mist or hail - to become more acidic.
What chemicals make rain acidic, and how does it happen?
The primary causes of acid rain are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These chemicals are released by certain industrial processes, and as a result, the more industrialized nations of Europe as well as the US suffer severely from acid rain.
Most of these acid gases are blown into the sky, and when they mix with the clouds it can cause rain - or snow, sleet, fog, mist or hail - to become more acidic.


Where do these chemical come from?
Most sulfur dioxide comes from power plants that use coal as their fuel. These plants emit 100 million tons of sulfur dioxide, 70% of that in the world.
Automobiles produce about half of the world's nitrogen oxide. As the number of automobiles in use increases, so does the amount of acid rain. Power plants that burn fossil fuels also contribute significantly to nitrogen oxide emission.
Though human causes are primarily responsible for acid rain, natural causes exist as well. Fires, volcanic eruptions, bacterial decomposition, and lightening also greatly increase the amount of nitrogen oxide on the planet. However, even the gigantic explosion of Mt. St. Helens released only about what one coal power plant emits in a year.

How do we measure the acidity of rain?
There is a special scale called the pH scale that measures the strength of acids and alkalis.
What is ph?
A low pH number means something is acid. A high number means something is alkali. And something in the middle is called neutral.
Describe the ph range and list various things that correspond to the various ph levels.
High Acid: Pickled Vegetables, Beef, Pork, Veal, Shellfish, Canned Tuna & Sardines, Parmasan, Processed Cheese, Peanuts, Walnuts and Tea (black), Coffee, Beer, Liquor
High Alkaline: Vegetable Juices, Parsley, Raw Spinach, Broccoli, Celery, Garlic, Barley Grass, Dried Figs, Raisins, Herb Teas, Lemon Water and Stevia.

What is the ph of normal rain, and at what level does the ph become dangerous?
Acidity can be tested using litmus paper.
Usually rain is a little acidic, and has pH of about 5.5, if the pH of rainfall is less than 5.5, then the rain is probably polluted by acid gases.
Acids turn litmus paper red, and alkalis turn it blue. With a special paper called universal indicator, you can test levels of acidity.


Biologist


What effect does acid rain have on trees and soil?
Acid rain can have terrible effects on a forest. The acid takes away important minerals from the leaves and the soil. Minerals are like vitamins for trees and plants. Without them, trees and plants cannot grow properly. They lose their leaves and become very weak. They are no longer strong enough to fight against illnesses and frost. They become very ill and can even die.
Some soils are alkaline, when acid rain falls on them the acid becomes neutral. Plants and trees living on these soils are not in any big danger..


How does the effect of acid rain on trees and soild affect us?
Acid rain can have terrible effects on a forest. The acid takes away important minerals from the leaves and the soil.
Minerals are like vitamins for trees and plants. Without them, trees and plants cannot grow properly. They lose their leaves and become very weak. They are no longer strong enough to fight against illnesses and frost. They become very ill and can even die.
Some soils are alkaline, when acid rain falls on them the acid becomes neutral. Plants and trees living on these soils are not in any big danger..


What happens when lakes and aquatic systems become acidic?
Acid rain has a terrible effect on water life. Even if the acid rain does not fall straight into the lake, for example, it may enter from rivers and streams. Some of the life in the lake such as fish and plants may end up dying, because they cannot survive in acidic lakes.
Thousands of lakes in Scandinavia have no more life in them. They have received so much acid rain for so many years, because of the winds pushing the acid gases, that nothing can survive.


How does acidic water systems affect us?
Water we drink from taps can be contaminated by acid rain, which can damage the brain

What are the danger signs of the effect of acid rain on aquatic systems?
Acid rain has a terrible effect on water life. Even if the acid rain does not fall straight into the lake, for example, it may enter from rivers and streams. Some of the life in the lake such as fish and plants may end up dying, because they cannot survive in acidic lakes.
Thousands of lakes in Scandinavia have no more life in them. They have received so much acid rain for so many years, because of the winds pushing the acid gases, that nothing can survive.
You can recognise a lake dead from acid rain by its clean and crystal clear water. But they look clean because there is very little living in them anymore. Tiny plants and animals are mostly unable to survive..



*** What can we do??
There are many ways that people can stop pollution. One major way is to reduce the amount of trips that you take in your car. Another way that a lot of our pollution is caused is by creating electrical energy. When electricity is created, fuels are usually burned, and this causes the pollution, which causes acid rain. The generation of electric power produces more pollution than any other industry in the United States. Burning coal and other fossil fuels causes most of our pollution. This is why in some places around the world, acid rain is monitored very closely. In 1998, data shows that by using electricity, the pollution that comes with it was responsible for 67% of the sulfur dioxide emissions that caused acid rain that year. Every time that you turn on the lights, that causes the pollution that causes acid rain. Even doing little things that you may think don’t cause pollution sometimes really do. Some things that you can do to make acid rain less of a problem are:
In Your Home
Only run the dishwasher with a full load
Only run the washing machine with a full load
Turn off the lights in empty rooms or when you will be away from home
Turn off the hot water tank when you will be gone for a long period of time
Turn down the heat at night and when you will not be home for the night
Don’t use your air conditioner as much
Install fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs
Try to reduce, reuse, and recycle as often as you can
Try not to burn a fire as often as you usually do
In the yard
Keep the pool cover on the pool whenever you are not using it
Transportation
When you are going to work, you could walk, ride your bike, or take a bus
Car-pool to a place with someone else
For alternate fuels, try ethanol, propane, or natural gas
Take the train or a bus for long trips
Limit the amount of long trips you take in your car
Make sure that your vehicle’s air conditioning system isn’t leaking
Try not to overflow the gas tank
Make sure that you are traveling at high speeds only when you need to


Health Scientist


How does acid deposition affect human health?

The main factor is that humans eat food, drink water and breathe air that came into contact with acid deposition.

Studies in the United States and Canada reported that there are links between this type of pollution and respiratory problems in sensitive layers of the population, including children and patients with asthma.

Acid deposition can increase the levels of toxic metals such as aluminum, copper and mercury deposited in the supply of drinking water untreated.

The effect of acid rain on humans determines a very significant increase of respiratory illness (asthma, chronic bronchitis syndrome Krupp, etc.) and an increase in cancer cases.
Acid rain can cause them health problems for people.
Air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause respiratory diseases, can worsen or if you already have. Respiratory diseases such as asthma or chronic bronchitis cause people to have trouble breathing. The pollution that causes acid rain can also create tiny particles. When these particles enter the lungs can cause or worsen diseases that already exist. Nitrogen oxides also produce ground-level ozone, which causes respiratory diseases like pneumonia and bronchitis), and may even cause permanent lung damage. The adverse health effects of which people should worry are not due to acid rain, but small particles that people breathe ozone. Swim in an acidic lake or walking in a pool of acidic water is no more dangerous than swimming or walking in fresh water.




Economist

Does acid rain affect building materials?
Acid rain can also ruin buildings because the acid eats into metal and stone.
Does acid rain have an effect on architecture?
Yes, because, many famous buildiings were made with material like metal
What does acid rain do to our roads, highways, and bridges?
In the same way to affect the architecture. many bridges are made of metal, and the roads and high ways suck out the acid of the acid rains
What is the effect of acid rain on things made from metal such as automobiles, trains, buses, and other means of transportation? Most of the buses, trains, and automobiles can lose their finishes. but in case of trains, the railroad can be very dangerous for obvious reasons

What does the effect of acid rain cost us in terms of money? The cost of the damages produced by the Acid Rain is very high, because is expansive restore statues, bridges, roads. Its like a Kind a of Karma

What are the economic consequences of acid rain on fisheries, forestry, and agriculture?

Determining just how much the planet is being hurt by acid rain is very difficult because the ecosystems that it affects are so diverse and complex.
Many ecosystems are affected by acid rain. Bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers, see many of their inhabitants die off due to rising acidity levels.
Acidic water also ruins plant nutrients, hurting plants' ability to survive and to give life to other organisms.

Mr. President of Ecology Department:

We are Mexican citizens, we are students engaged with the planet like many people in the world We are really concerned about climate changes that occur in the world.
We believe that there has been no radical changes for counter the problem so, we give you some suggest for counter the problem because the people should involve with these points:
Understand the problem
The first step you can take to help control acid rain is to understand both the problem and its solutions. Now that you have knowledge about this environmental problem, you can talk about it with others. If you tell your classmates, your parents and your teachers what you learned on this site, you are helping them to be aware of the problem of acid rain. We CAN help to solve this problem!

Save electricity
As the generation of electricity produces large quantities of pollutants that cause acid rain, an important measure you can take is to save electricity. You can do this in several ways:

Turn off lights, computers, televisions, video games and other electrical equipment when not in use.

Say to your parents to buy equipment that consumes less electricity, including lighting, air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators and washing machines. These teams could be the sign that says "Energy Star" (star that ensures a more efficient use of electricity).

Try to limit the use of air conditioning.

Ask your parents to adjust the thermostat (the device used to control the temperature in your home) when they go on vacation.
Minimizes mileage
Cars and trucks also produce large amounts of nitrogen oxides that cause acid rain. To help reduce pollution from these vehicles can travel by car with other people or using public transportation such as bus or train. You can also ask your parents to accompany you on foot or by bicycle to the nearest store or a friend's house instead of driving.


The Team
Moises Olivares Enriquez
Mar y Carmen Islas Sanchez
Andrea Yutzill Puebla Rubiales.