acid rain /AN

⦁ Determine the pH of a sample of local rain (or snow) and compare it to the pH of other liquids.
⦁ Explain what acid rain is and how it forms.
⦁ Analyze various maps and determine any patterns between pH and other factors.

Part 1 – How acid is it?
Determine the pH of 4 of the given samples.

Sample pH Sample pH

Part 2 – Just the facts
Use the Acid Rain Fact Sheet and on Canvas to answer the following questions.

⦁ What range of pH is considered acidic? Alkaline?
0. How much does the acidity increase in each one-unit of change?
0. What is the pH of normal rainfall?
0. What does rain mix with naturally in the atmosphere to form acid?
0. What is the pH of acid rain?
0. What gases combine with water to make acid rain?
0. What are the primary anthropogenic sources of these gases?
0. What are some natural sources of the gases?
0. What are the two primary methods used to reduce anthropogenic sources of acid rain making gases?
0. What is the name of the U.S. national acid rain monitoring network? When was it established?

Part 3 – Is there a connection?
Use the following maps found on Canvas to answer the questions below.
⦁ Population density 2010
⦁ U.S. Mean Wind Speed and Prevailing Direction
⦁ pH map (Hydrogen ion concentration 2018)
⦁ Coal-powered electric plants

⦁ Which region in the U.S. has the most coal-fired power plants (the size of the circle is proportional to the plant’s generating capacity)?
0. How does that compare with population density in the U.S.?
0. Why might these two be related?
0. Which region/states has the lowest pH precipitation?
0. How does this compare with where coal-fired power plants are located?
0. What effect do the prevailing winds have on the problem of acid rain?