1. Q of D Acid Rain 2. What do you think causes acid rain?
1. What do you think is acid rain?
2. What do you think causes acid rain?
3. Do you think we have acid rain in PA?

2. Acid Rain

4. ACID RAIN
Rain and snow are naturally slightly acidic due to reaction with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The pH of normal rain is 5.5
The term acid rain is used to describe precipitation that has a pH lower than what is normal. The pH of acid rain is lower than 5.5 4

5. What causes acid rain?
When fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) are burned it releases pollutants.
These pollutants include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
These pollutants react with the water droplets in the air and make sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
These acids then fall to the ground as acidic rain and snow 5

7. Effects of Acid Rain 1. Harms vegetation Damages leaves of plants,
Less nutrients in the soil
Increased harmful elements (Al) in soil
Plants do not have enough nutrients to grow and make food
Trees are weakened and are not as able to withstand insects, disease and harsh weather. 7

12. 2. Water ecosystems are disturbed
Makes rivers, lakes more acidic
Water contains more Al from soil run-off
Water organisms begin to die (ex: insects are sensitive and die which leads to the death of fish and amphibians)
Life cycles disrupted – some organisms can no longer breed 12

14. 3. Deteriorates buildings and historical monuments
Acid “eats” away at
the structures 14

17. 4. Damages human health
Causes more lead to be released from water pipes – increased lead affects the central nervous system and causes delay in mental development
Still unknown effects

18. 5. Financial Impact
Estimated that the effects of acid rain cause 5 billion dollars of damage a year in the eastern US.

19. Where is Acid Rain????

21. The greatest Acid Rain problems are in…
Mid Atlantic States
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA! 21

22. WHY does this area have acid rain?
Almost half of all emissions in the US are from the Ohio River valley, Tennessee and Missouri – coal, steel, industry
Winds carry these gases in a northeast direction

25. Noon in Donara PA in 1948

26. How bad is the problem?
The average pH of Pennsylvania rainfall is between 4.1 and 4.3. That is 20x more acidic than normal rain.
The lowest pH for rain in PA was 3.5
We live in one of the worst areas --- Pennsylvania receives one of the highest concentrations of acid precipitation in the US and the world. 26

27. One good thing…
PA has a lot of limestone. This is a natural way for acid rain to be buffered before entering the ground water, soil, lakes and streams.
This lessens the impact of acid rain in this area and prevents us from seeing some of the most severe effects

28. What is being done?
The Clean Air Acts of the 1990’s require a reduction in the amount of pollutants from industry. This acts are still being implemented in phases.
Conservation is stressed – conserve electricity to reduce the amount of coal burned. Use cars less to reduce pollution 28

29. Is it working?
The measures are working – the pH is making slow changes – moving a little towards neutral.
Has been a 22% reduction in the amount of sulfur dioxide released from power plants.
As more measures are enforced expected to keep getting better. 29

32. Ways you can help Use less fossil fuels!
Reduce pollution – drive less
Conserve electricity – unplug appliances, turn off lights, reduce heating/cooling of home
Buy products made/grown locally – reduces pollutions by shipping them in
Use alternative energy sources

34. CHALLENGE
You and your partners are to design a controlled experiment to determine if acid rain will affect the germination of common seeds over the next few weeks.

35. Your experiment must have the 4 parts of an experiment:
Control group
Experimental group
Independent variable
Dependent variable

36. Supplies you may use include:
Seeds
Petri dishes
Water
Vinegar
Baking soda
pH paper (to measure pH)
Paper towels
Markers, rulers, tape etc……..

37. Brainstorm with your partner and write the 4 parts of your experiment.
Have your experimental design checked before beginning to set up your experiment
Set up your experiment!