Acid Rain

Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms.  This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that is acidic.  Acid rain results when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are emitted into the atmosphere and transported by wind and air currents. While there is some acid rain that is caused by the volcanoes in nature, most of the acid rain is caused by the burning of fossil fuels. The wind blows sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides over a long distance and that acid rain will fall to the ground anywhere, not just the area close to the source of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. 

There are two forms of acid rain. The first one is wet deposition, the sulfuric and nitric acid formed in the atmosphere and fall to the ground with rain, snow and fog. The second form is dry deposition, in the absence of moisture, the acidic particles will drop to the ground directly, those particles dropped into the water body and solution in it.  It will harm human beings and wildlife. 

The rain has a huge effect on the environment. The acid rain changed the pH scale of some water bodies and the fish in it are not able to survive because of the changing pH scale. To the plants, the underground water that is polluted by the acid rain makes it hard for the plants to absorb the water and causes the plants to die. To human beings, the acid rain will harm people’s health and it will destroy some structures like statues. These structures charge a lot of money to repair and maintain. 

Nowadays, acid rain becomes more and more common due to the increased number of vehicles. To reduce the rate of acid rain, we can ride a bike instead of driving a car to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide.

Source:  https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects-acid-rain