Free online reading practice | Acid rain bdmclass

 

Acid Rain 

Acid rain is a phenomenon caused by human activities that release pollutants into the atmosphere. Let’s explore what acid rain is, its effects on the environment, and potential solutions.

What is Acid Rain?

Definition: Acid rain refers to any form of precipitation (rain, snow, fog) that contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Normal Rain pH: Regular rain has a slightly acidic pH of 5.6. Acid Rain pH: Acid rain typically has a pH between 4.2 and 4.4.

Causes of Acid Rain

Human Activities: Most acid rain results from burning fossil fuels in coal-burning power plants, factories, and automobiles. Acid rain, also known as acid deposition, results from the interaction of pollutants in the atmosphere with water vapor.

Compounds like sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) are released into the air from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, and vehicle emissions. These pollutants rise into the atmosphere and mix with water vapor, oxygen, and other chemicals. The newly formed acids combine with water droplets, snowflakes, or fog particles. These acidic particles fall to the ground as wet deposition (rain, snow, fog) or dry deposition (dust, particles).

Effects of Acid Rain

Acid rain makes lakes, streams, and wetlands more acidic. Increased aluminum absorption harms aquatic animals. Impact on the entire ecosystem, affecting non-aquatic species as well. Acid rain harms soil, forests, streams, and lakes, affecting ecosystems and human-made structures.

The Effects of Acid Rain on Ecosystems

An ecosystem is basically a community of animals, plants and other organisms living together in their environment consisting of air, water and soil. All the living and nonliving thing in an ecosystem is connected with one another. If one part of an ecosystem is harmed then the rest will be affected in one way or another.

Effects of Acid Rain on Fish and Wildlife

The ecological impacts of acid rain can easily be seen in aquatic environments including streams, lakes, and swamps where it is very harmful to fish and other wildlife. As it makes its way through the soil, acidic rain water can drain aluminum away from soil clay particles and finally reach bodies of waters such as ponds, streams and lakes. So the higher acid rain drops into the ecosystem, the higher aluminum is released.

Some types of plants and animals are able to withstand acidic waters and moderate amounts of aluminum.  Those who are acid-sensitive and will disappear as the pH level declines. Typically, the younger species are more sensitive to environmental conditions than adults. At PH 5, we have observed that most fish eggs cannot hatch. At lower pH levels, some adult fish cannot tolerate and usually die. Some acidic ponds and lakes have no fish. Although some fish or animals can withstand moderately acidic water, the animals or plants it eats may not. For instance, frogs can withstand well with pH around 4, but the flies they feed on are more sensitive and cannot survive when pH level drops to below 5.5.

Forests

Acid deposits rob soil of essential nutrients like calcium. Aluminum release in soil makes it hard for trees to take up water. Leaves and needles suffer damage. Combined with other stressors, trees become vulnerable to cold, insects, and disease.

Health Concerns

Nitrogen oxides contribute to ground-level ozone, harmful to people. Acid rain spreads pollutants via air pollution.

Solutions:

Regulatory Actions: Governments regulate emissions from power plants and vehicles.

Clean Energy: Transitioning to cleaner energy sources reduces acid rain.

Education: Raising awareness helps prevent acid rain.

Vocabulary

1. phenomenon (n) : fact or event which can be observed and/or documented
2. pollutant (n): substance that causes pollution.
3. atmosphere (n): mixture of gases that surrounds a planet
4. potential (n): possible, able to happen; something that can develop or become a reality
5. solution (n): the answer to a problem
6. precipitation(n): water falls from the clouds towards the ground, especially as rain or snow
7. contain (v): to hold; to have within
8. interaction (n) when two or more people or things communicate with or react to each other
9. emission (n): a pollutant released into the atmosphere
10. absorption (n): the process or action by which one thing absorbs or is absorbed by another.
11. aquatic (n): relating to water
12. Impact (n): an effect or result
13. swamp(n): a lowland region that is saturated by water
14. withstand (v): to resist
15. decline (v): gradually drop, become smaller
16. hatch (v): to come out of an egg
17. tolerate (v): to deal with something unpleasant or annoying, or to continue existing despite bad or difficult conditions 
18. prevent (v) : to stop something from happening or someone from doing something

True/False Statements:

1.    Acid rain can occur as snow or fog, not just rain.

2.    Normal rain has a pH of 7.

3.    Human activities are the primary cause of acid rain.

4.    Most fish eggs cannot hatch when the PH drop to 5.

5.    Acidic rain water can drain aluminum away from soil clay particles.

6.    Acid rain affects aquatic ecosystems by increasing aluminum absorption.

7.    The higher acid rain drops into the ecosystem, the lower aluminum is released.

8.    Acid rain only harms aquatic animals.

9.    If one part of the ecosystem is affected, the rest will be affected too. 

10.  Acid is not harmful to human.