Acid Rain

Learning Outcome :
Calculate the concentration of H+ and OH- of solutions,
given their pH and vice versa.
Write equations to show how carbon dioxide produces
acidic rain.
Describe and write equations for the formation of acid
rain.
Describe the environmental effects of acid rain,
including its action on metals and carbonates and
on the leaching of cations (Al3+) from soils.
Calculate the pH of solutions of strong bases and
strong monoprotic acids.
pH value
pH is a measure of concentration
of H+ ions where this is taken as
the concentration of H+ relative to
the standard 1 mol/L
pH = - log [H+]
pOH = - log [OH-]
pH + pOH = 14
 Example
Calculate the pH value Calculate the
of hydrochloric acid
with the concentration
concentration of acid
of 0.02mol/L. rain if the pH value is
HCl H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq) 5.6.
[H+] = 0.02mol/L pH = - log [H+]
pH = - log [0.02]
[H+] = Antilog (-pH)
= 1.7
[H+] = Antilog (-5.6)
i.e. [10^(-5.6)]
= 2.51 X 10-6
mol/L
Rain water
Rain containing dissolved carbon
dioxide is acidic.
Carbon dioxide dissolves in rain

water to form carbonic acid which

is a weak acid.
CO2 (g) + H2O (l) H2CO3 (aq)
Rainfall with a pH of more than 5.6.
ACID RAIN
ACID RAIN is formed when the pH of rain
water less than 5.6.
Acid rain is formed when oxides of
nitrogen and sulfur dioxide dissolve in
water in the atmosphere.
Acid rain has harmful environmental
effects.
The low pH of acid rain is due to the
presence of sulfuric acid & nitric acid.
Acid Deposition
Acid deposition means the falling
of acid substances onto the
ground.
They can fall in the form of rain,
snow or hail or as microscopic
particles.
Causes of acid rain

Emissionsof sulfur oxides

and nitrogen oxides are the
leading causes of acid rain.
Sulfur Oxides (SOx)

1. Formation of Sulfur dioxide ( SO2 )

a) Burning of fossil fuels containing
sulfur as impurities petrol/ natural
gas
S + O2 (g) SO2 (g)

b) Roasting of metal sulfides ores

2MS(s) + 3O2(g) 2MO(s) + 2SO2 (g)
2. Formation of Sulfur trioxide (SO3)

The SO2 can be further oxidised to

SO3

2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3 (g)

3. Formation of acid
Both SO2 and SO3 can dissolve in water
to form acid respectively.

SO2 (g) + H2O (l) H2SO3 (aq)

sulfurous acid
SO3(g) + H2O (l) H2SO4 (aq)
sulfuric acid
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Nitrogen from the air is oxidised to
nitric oxide (NO) in the situations
involving high temperature/ pressure .
Examples :
Lightning discharges, volcanoes,
meteor trails, forest fires, industrial
furnaces and internal combustion
engines.
1. Formation of NO
N2 (g) + O2 (g) 2NO (g)

2. Formation of NO2
NO will be further oxidised to NO2
2NO (g) + O2 (g) 2NO2 (g)
`

3. Formation of acid
NO2 dissolves in rain water to form
nitrous acid (HNO2) and nitric acid
(HNO3).
2NO2 (g) + H2O (l)

HNO3 (aq) + HNO2 (aq)

3NO2(g) + H2O (l)

2HNO3 (aq) + 2NO (g)

Effects of Acid Rain
Lakes and streams
Acid rain can cause a pH of as
low as 3 in some places. This kills
certain aquatic plant and animal
life.
 Plants ( Forest and crop)
Many elements necessary for
plant growth such as Mg2+, Ca2+,
NO3- and PO43- can be leached out
of the soil.
Therefore, plant will suffer due to
the lack of nutrients.
 When the pH lower than 4.2, aluminium
cation present in the soil is free and the
roots of plants can absorb this toxic
element.
This toxic element can be carried away by
water and then enter streams and lakes.

Al3+(soil) + 3H+(aq) Al3+ (aq) + 3H+

(soil)
Aluminium toxicity
Some aluminium enters the cells, probably
after damaging the root cell membranes.
Once within the cell it reacts with
phosphorus compounds, and upsets the
plant phosphorus metabolism.
Aluminium also interferes in the process of
cell division, and inhibits the nucleic acid
metabolism
 Man made structure
Reacting with building materials
such as limestone CaCO3 &
marble

CaCO3 (s) + 2H+(aq)

Ca2+ (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)
Corrosion
 Corroding metals such as Iron and
Aluminium.

M (s) + nH+ (aq)

M n+ (aq) + n/2 H2 (g)
Solutions
Passing exhaust gases through a
scrubber which contains a solid
alkali such as calcium oxide
(lime). This neutralises the non-
metal oxide forming a non-volatile
salt.
CaO (s) + SO2 (g) CaSO3 (s)
CaO (s) + SO3 (g) CaSO4(s)
 The use of antipollution device
catalytic converters fitted to the
exhaust systems of vehicles.
This device contains platinum

which can catalyses many

reactions.
2NO (g) + 2CO (g) N2 (g) + 2CO2
(g)
 Clean polluted waterways by
adding huge quantities of lime to
increase the pH back to the
normal value.

CaO(s) + 2H+(aq) Ca2+ (aq) +

H2O (l)
 Biologists have noted that rain
water in remote areas of
Scandinavia is remarkably acidic.
Explain how this is possible since
there is little pollution or industry
in the region.
 Tall chimneys push industrial pollution
high into the atmosphere, where it may
travel long distances amongst winds
before precipitating in remote area.
Sulfur and nitrogen oxides are small
molecules. They normally exist as
volatile gases and can be carried easily
by wind through the atmosphere.
Questions
Acid rain affects plant growth in
several ways.
(i)
Identify a component in acid rain
that improves soil for plant
growth, and explain your answer.
Component:
Explanation:
(ii) Many plants do not grow under acid
conditions. Identify one effect of acid
rain on soil that reduces plant growth.

Acid rain is defined as rain which has a

pH less of than 5.6. Determine the pH
in a sample of rain water with a
hydronium ion concentration of 4.2 x
10-4 mol L-1.
Exercise
Calculate the pH for each of the
following solutions.
a) [H+] = 5.0 X 10-6
b) [OH-] = 2.0 X 10-5
c) [OH-] = 4.5 X 10-11
 Calculate the [H+] for
a) pH= 5.0
b) pH= 12.20

Polluted rain water may contain

sulfurous and sulfuric acids, and
nitrous and nitric acids. It is then
called acid rain if its pH is less
than 5.6. Explain, with
equations, how acid rain forms.
 Explain with the aid of an
equation what happens when
acid rain comes in contact
with :
(i) Steel structures
(ii) Limestone rocks