Acid Rain · Acid Rain Causes and Problems Some of these gases mix with the tiny droplets of water in clouds to form sulfuric and nitric acids. The rain from these clouds then falls

Acid Rain SS6G8

Unit Title Page SS6G8: Explain environmental issues in Europe: — Explain the causes and effects of acid rain in Germany, the causes and effects of air pollution in the United Kingdom, and the causes and effects of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

*Draw or print and image for the title page.

What is acid rain?

Rainfall made sufficiently acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm.

Acid rain is a result of air pollution.

When any type of fuel is burnt, chemicals and gases are produced in the form of smoke.

What causes acid rain?

The PH Scale

Acid Rain Cycle

The Effects of Acid Rain

Smoke doesn’t just contain the sooty grey particles that you can see— it also contains lots of invisible gases and chemicals you can’t see.

These chemicals can be harmful to our environment.

Holy Smoke!

Acid Rain Causes and Problems

Power stations, factories and cars all burn fuels and therefore they all produce smoke containing harmful chemicals and gases.

Powerful winds move the contaminated smoke/gases to other locations, like other countries.

Acid Rain Causes and Problems

Some of these gases mix with the tiny droplets of water in clouds to form sulfuric and nitric acids. The rain from these clouds then falls as weak acid - which is why it is known as "acid rain".

Problems

The acid rain in Sweden is caused by air pollution in the U.K. and other countries of Europe. The pollution produced in the U.K. ends up mostly in Scandinavian - countries in northern Europe including Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Acid Rain in Europe

Trees in Germany Acid rain can affect trees in several different ways.It may:

Dissolve and wash away the nutrients and minerals in the soil which help the trees to grow.

Causes the release of harmful substances such as aluminum into the soil.

Wears away the waxy protective coating of leaves, damaging them and preventing them from being able to photosynthesize properly.

The Black ForestHalf of the Black Forest has been destroyed.

This has harmed Germany’s economy because timber is a major natural resource.

As acid rain falls on a forest it trickles through the leaves of the trees and runs down into the soil below turning the soil acidic. Some of the water finds its way into streams and then into rivers and lakes.

Results of Water Contamination Fish die off, and that takes away a major food source for birds.

Acid rain can kill fish before they are born when the eggs are laid and come into contact with the acid.

Birds can also die from eating “toxic” fish and insects.

Buildings and Statues

Statues, buildings, vehicles, pipes and cables can all suffer when exposed to acid rain.Buildings and structures made from limestone or sandstone suffer the worst as these types of rock are particularly susceptible to corrosion caused by acids.

Germany’s Acid Rain Problem: Causes

Main source of acid rain is pollution from factories (burning fossil fuels like natural gas, coal, & oil)*Germany is a top manufacturing country. It leads the world in cars, steel, & chemical products

Causes Continued

Cars & buses also produce harmful gases

Germans own more cars than people of most other countries.

Sulfur deposits from Germany are carried through the air causing acid rain in other countries

Failed SolutionOne early answer to industrial air pollution was to build very tall chimneys.

However, all that did was to push the polluting gases up into the clouds so the pollution could just float away. The wind carried the pollution many hundreds of miles away where it eventually fell as acid rain.

Alternate Energy Sources— Possible Solutions

Cause and Effect Mind Map— Acid Rain