In: Chemistry
The chemical composition of soil and rock varies throughout the world. How is this related to the susceptibility of each location to the detrimental effects of acid rain and what specific chemical species or components need to be present in soil to counteract the effect of acid rain ?
Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogenoxides are released 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.
When sulfur dioxide dissolves into rain droplets, sulfuric acid, H2SO4, is formed. ... Farmers and foresters sometimes increase the buffering capacity, the ability of theirsoil to neutralize the acid, by adding a buffer such as limestone to the soil. This process is called liming.