What is acid rain? Explain its impact on vegetation.
Answers
Acid rain" is a general name for many phenomena including acid fog, acid sleet, and acid snow. Although we associate the acid threat with rainy days, acid deposition occurs all the time, even on sunny days.
its effect on environment
Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides both combine with water in the atmosphere to create acid rain. Acid rain acidifies the soils and waters where it falls, killing off plants. Many industrial processes produce large quantities of pollutants including sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide. These are also produced by car engines and are emitted in the exhaust. When sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide react with water vapour in the atmosphere, acids are produced. The result is what is termed acid rain, which causes serious damage to plants.
The effects of sulphur dioxide are influenced by other biological and environmental factors such as plant type, age, sunlight levels, temperature, humidity and the presence of other pollutants (ozone and nitrogen oxides). Thus, even though sulphur dioxide levels may be extremely high, the levels may not affect vegetation because of the surrounding environmental conditions. It is also possible that the plants and soils may temporarily store pollutants. By storing the pollutants they are preventing the pollutants from reacting with other substances in the plants or soil.