Question

Which of these is FALSE regarding acid precipitation

a. as acid rain falls on soil it carries away calcium, sodium, and other important nutrients.

• b. due to acid fog, forest animals can end up dying from loss of food and shelter.

• c. acid precipitation is caused by the disruption of nitrogen and sulfer nutrient cycles.

• d. none of the above statements are false- they are all true.

• E. aquatic food webs collapse if water becomes too acidic to support life.

Answer 1

Let us consider the given statements and check whether they are true.

a. As acid rain falls on soil it carries away calcium, sodium, and other important nutrients - True

As it flows through the soil, acidic rain water can leach aluminum from soil clay particles and then flow into streams and lakes. The more acid that is introduced to the ecosystem, the more aluminum is released. In cation exchange, the ions of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other metals are attached to the clay and humus particles in the soil. The attractive forces of positive metal ions to the negatively charged clay particles are strong enough to hold the metal ions in the soil despite the passage of water through the soil. But during acid rains, the hydrogen ions in the sulfuric acid replace the metal ions. The hydrogen ions are retained and neutralized by the soil. The calcium, potassium, and magnesium ions are leached or washed out of the top soil into lower inaccessible subsoil. These ions are then not available as nutrients or fertilizers needed for tree and plant growth.

b. Due to acid fog, forest animals can end up dying from loss of food and shelter - True

The ecological effects of acid rain are most clearly seen in aquatic environments and marshes where it can be harmful to fish and other wildlife. The ecological effects of acid rain are most clearly seen in aquatic environments, such as streams, lakes, and marshes where it can be harmful to fish and other wildlife. The harm is caused by either making the environment unfit to live in or by disrupting the food sources.

c. Acid precipitation is caused by the disruption of nitrogen and sulfer nutrient cycles - True

Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids. Human activities have elevated the release of these compounds and shattered the balance between the various nutrient cycles. These effects are manifested in the form of acid rains.

d. None of the above statements are false- they are all true.

e. Aquatic food webs collapse if water becomes too acidic to support life – True

Some types of plants and animals are able to tolerate acidic waters and moderate amounts of aluminum. Others, however, are acid-sensitive and will be lost as the pH declines. Generally, the young of most species are more sensitive to environmental conditions than adults. At pH 5, most fish eggs cannot hatch. At lower pH levels, some adult fish die. Some acidic lakes have no fish. Even if a species of fish or animal can tolerate moderately acidic water, the animals or plants it eats might not. For example, frogs have a critical pH around 4, but the mayflies they eat are more sensitive and may not survive pH below 5.5.

The right answer is option‘d’. All the statements given are true.