Question

Acid rain is caused when compounds like ______and ______ are released into the air.
1. Sulfur dioxide, Hydrogen oxides
2. Nitrogen oxides, Water vapour
3. Hydrogen oxides, Nitrogen oxides
4. Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides
5.

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides

The correct answer is Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides.

• Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides are discharged 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.
• 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.
  • Besides, the exhausts from cars, trucks, and buses release nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide into the air. These pollutants cause acid rain.
• Major effects of acid rain:
  • It is very harmful to agriculture, plants, and animals. It washes away all nutrients which are required for the growth and survival of plants.
  • When acid rain falls down and flows into the rivers and ponds it affects the aquatic ecosystem.
  • Acid rain also causes the corrosion of water pipes. Which further results in the leaching of heavy metals such as iron, lead, and copper into drinking water.
  • It damages the buildings and monuments made up of stones and metals. 
• ​Preventive measures:
  • The important measure that we can take against acid rain is having a check of the emission of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur.
  • Renewable sources of energy are helping to reduce acid rain, as they produce much fewer emissions.