Persuasive Essay On Acid Rain

1096 Words3 Pages

Sulfates and nitrates that form in the atmosphere from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions contribute to visibility impairment, meaning we cannot see as far or as clearly through the air. Sulfate particles account for 50 to 70 percent of the visibility reduction in the eastern part of the U.S. Acid rain looks, feels, and tastes just like clean rain. The harm to people from acid rain is not direct. Walking in acid rain, or even swimming in an acid lake, is no more dangerous than walking or swimming in clean water. However, the pollutants that cause acid rain do damage human health. These gases interact in the atmosphere to form fine sulfate and nitrate particles that can be transported long distances by winds and inhaled deep into people …show more content…

It is critical that acid deposition be reduced, not only in the United States and Canada, but also throughout the world to preserve the integrity of natural habitats, as well as to reduce damage to man-made structures. EPA has taken steps to limit the amount of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere because they are the main contributors to acid deposition be reduced, not only in the United States and Canada, but also throughout the world to preserve the integrity of natural habitats, as well as to reduce damage to man-made structures. The EPA collect air and water samples and measure them for various characteristics such as pH and chemical composition, and research the effects of acid deposition on human-made materials such as marble and bronze to understand acid rain’s causes and effects. To solve the acid rain problem, people need to understand how acid rain damages the environment. They also need to understand what changes could be made to the air pollution sources that cause the …show more content…

Coal accounts for most U.S. SO2 emissions and a large portion of NOx emissions. Sulfur is present in coal as an impurity, and it reacts with air when the coal is burned to form SO2. In contrast, NOx is formed when any fossil fuel is burned. There are several options for reducing SO2 emissions, including using coal containing less sulfur, washing the coal, and using devices called “scrubbers” to chemically remove the SO2 from the gases leaving the smokestack. Power plants can also switch fuels. Similar to scrubbers on power plants, catalytic converters reduce NOx emissions from cars. There are other sources of electricity besides fossil

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