acid rain Flashcards
what compound contributes to acid rain?
sulfur dioxide
How is sulfur dioxide released?
burning of fossil fuels
what harm does acid rain cause?
damages to plants
kills fish
causes erosion of buildings
how is sulfur dioxide formed?
some fossil fuels contain sulfur based impurities
when burned the sulfur reacts with oxygen producing sulfur dioxide
what is the formula for sulfur dioxide ?
SO2
what type of gas is sulfur dioxide?
an acidic gas
how does sulfur dioxide cause acid rain?
sulfur dioxide is an acidic gas
it reacts with water in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid which falls as acid rain
nitrogen oxides do the same too
how can sulfur dioxide be removed from flue gases? usually removed from chimenys and factors
wet scrubbing
an alkali is used to neutralise sulphur dioxide in flue gases
involves dissolving calcium carbonate or oxide in water and spraying on acidic sulfur dioxide gas
