The basic idea behind acid rain is simple. When we burn coal in power plants, we release sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. These compounds mix with water in the atmosphere to create acids (sulfuric acid and nitric acid) that fall to the ground in rain or snow. It’s not like the acid is strong enough to burn your skin, but even a dilute acid has an effects on the environment:
1) The acid can wash minerals like calcium out of the soil and the lack of these minerals hurts trees and other plants.
2) At higher altitudes, acid in clouds weakens trees so much that many mountaintops that were once forested are now barren.
3) Rivers and lakes become more acid, and this affects plants and fish in the water.
4) The acid eats away at stone and metal so it weathers more quickly than it naturally would.
1) The acid can wash minerals like calcium out of the soil and the lack of these minerals hurts trees and other plants.
2) At higher altitudes, acid in clouds weakens trees so much that many mountaintops that were once forested are now barren.
3) Rivers and lakes become more acid, and this affects plants and fish in the water.
4) The acid eats away at stone and metal so it weathers more quickly than it naturally would.