2.  Pure water has a pH of
7.0.
 Normal precipitation
has pH of 5.6
› Due to CO2 mixing
with water vapor to
make carbonic acid.
 Acid precipitation has
pH of less than 5.0
 Can be in the form of
rain, snow, sleet, hail,
fog

3.  SO2 & NOx released
when fossil fuels are
burned.
 SO2 & NOx combine
with water vapor in
atmosphere to make
sulfuric acid & nitric
acid.
 Can fall out of sky, run
along ground, and
enter water sources.

4.  Eastern U.S. (Lake Erie &
Lake Ontario) has pH of
4.2-4.8
 Most of Europe 4.5-5.1
 Eastern Europe and
parts of Scandinavia
4.3-4.5

5.  High Population-
› higher population,
more cars, more fossil
fuel usage
 More industry
› More factories putting
out SO2 & NOx
 Type of rocks in soil
can alter pH levels
› Marble/Limestone-
neutralize pH
› Granite- less
neutralizing power

6.  Acidification- soil pH
drops due to acid
precipitation
› Soil nutrients are
dissolved and washed
away
› Toxic metals (Al) are
released from soil
particles & taken up
by plants
› SO2 can clog
openings in leaves so
they can’t get CO2 to
make sugar
Adirondack mtns in New York

7.  Fish are adapted to
live at specific pH
 Acid precipitation
makes water too
acidic and many
aquatic organisms
can’t tolerate
changes
 Aluminum that
leaches out of soil can
enter water, attach to
fish gills, cause
suffocation.
Frogs can tolerate pH that is more
acidic (pH 4.0) than a fish like a
bass which can only live in water
that is around pH 5.5

8.  Acid snow will melt
rapidly causing pH of
river water to drop
rapidly resulting in acid
shock.
› Causes massive fish
kills
› Fish & frog may
produce fewer eggs
which may not hatch
› Many eggs that do
hatch have birth
defects.

9.  Toxic metals can be
leached out of soil by
acid & be taken up by
crops, water, fish which
can poison humans
 Irritate respiratory systems
 Less fish = decrease in
commercial fishing
(people lose jobs)
 Dissolves building
materials
› Marble, limestone easily
dissolved
› Metals can be tarnished
› Costly to repair these
things.

10.  Air pollution is released in
one location and falls
hundreds of miles away.
 Air pollution produced in
northeastern US falls in
southeastern Canada
› Created Canada-US Air
Quality Agreement
(1991) to reduce
emissions along border.
 China burns mostly coal
with few if any pollution
laws which affects many
nearby Asian countries.

11.  Explain how acid precipitation forms.
 Describe the harmful effects that acid
precipitation can have on plants, soil,
and aquatic ecosystems.
 Describe 3 ways in which acid
precipitation can affect humans.
 Describe a way in which countries are
working together to solve the problems
of acid precipitation.