Acid rain - Definition scientists have discovered that air pollution due to the combustion of fossil fuels is the main cause of acid rain. The main chemical substances that cause air pollution due to acid rain are sulfur dioxide (SO 2) and nitrogen oxides (NO x). Acid rain usually forms high temperature in the cloud and sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water, oxygen and oxidizer. The mixture forms a gentle solution of sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Sunlight increases the speed of most of these reactions.
Acid rain generally affects the chemical properties of soil, plant activity and surface water's acidity. In this sense, this means acid rain has a big impact on the environment. Increasing acid rain continues to affect the health of humans and plants, the chemical composition of the soil, and most importantly the survival of aquatic life. The higher the acid concentration, the more severe the result will be. Consistent high levels of acid rain can significantly reduce the life activity of plants and the continuity of aquatic life. The majority of the impact depends on the presence of acidic deposits in the atmosphere and the acidity of various forms of precipitation.
Acid rain has a serious effect on soil chemistry and biology. It is often destroyed or changed due to the influence of soil chemical constituents such as acid rain, soil microorganism, biological activity, soil pH and so on. The soil should maintain optimum pH to allow biological activity to prosper. Therefore, every time acid rain penetrates the soil, the optimum pH changes, thereby reversing chemical and biological activity. Therefore, sensitive soil microorganisms that can not adapt to pH change are killed and soil microbial enzymes are denatured. Higher acidity also elutes important minerals and nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. As a result, the soil loses its quality and composition, making it impossible to support plant life and soil microorganisms.