Acid Rain Experiment

Acid Rain Experiment

What Is Acid Rain? 

Rainfall made so acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm, chiefly to forests and lakes. The main cause is the industrial burning of coal and other fossil fuels, the waste gases from which contain sulfur and nitrogen oxides which combine with atmospheric water to form acids. 

How Does Acid Rain Form?

Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. These substances can rise very high into the atmosphere, where they mix and react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form more acidic pollutants, known as acid rain.

What are 3 effects of Acid Rain?

The ecological effects of acid rain are most clearly seen in aquatic environments, such as streams, lakes, and marshes where it can be harmful to fish and other wildlife. As it flows through the soil, acidic rainwater can leach aluminum from soil clay particles and then flow into streams and lakes.

Why Does Acid Rain Matter?

Sources of Acid Rain

Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. These substances can rise very high into the atmosphere, where they mix and react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form more acidic pollutants, known as acid rain. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides dissolve very easily in water and can be carried very far by the wind. As a result, the two compounds can travel long distances where they become part of the rain, sleet, snow, and fog that we experience on certain days.

Human activities are the main cause of acid rain. Over the past few decades, humans have released so many different chemicals into the air that they have changed the mix of gases in the atmosphere. Power plants release the majority of sulfur dioxide and much of the nitrogen oxides when they burn fossil fuels, such as coal, to produce electricity. In addition, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses releases nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide into the air. These pollutants cause acid rain.

Acid Rain is Caused by Reactions in the Environment

Nature depends on balance, and although some rain is naturally acidic, with a pH level of around 5.0, human activities have made it worse. Normal precipitation—such as rain, sleet, or snow—reacts with alkaline chemicals or non-acidic materials, that can be found in air, soils, bedrock, lakes, and streams. These reactions usually neutralize natural acids. However, if precipitation becomes too acidic, these materials may not be able to neutralize all of the acids. Over time, these neutralizing materials can be washed away by acid rain. Damage to crops, trees, lakes, rivers, and animals can result.

Method

Calcium Carbonate

Apple Piece

Leaf

Universal Indicator

Blue Litmus Paper

Weigh Boat

Set up Petri-dish

Add a few drops of water to these

Add 1 spatular of sodium sulfide to weigh boat 

Take  Photo

Add 5 drops of sulfuric acid and quickly put the lid on.

Watch and take photos 

  
The Blue Litmus Paper has now turned red 
The Universal Indicator was Blue now has turned Pink
The Bromthymol Blue was blue now has turned Green

Bromthymol Blue: Blue-Yellow
Universal Indicator: Green-Red
Blue Litmus Paper: Blue-Red
Leaf:
Apple Piece:
Calcium Carbonate: