CHEM 208 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Acid Rain, Global Warming Potential, Sulfur Dioxide
15 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Human activities producing particulate (i. e. , soot and fly ash) and gaseous (co, co2, sox, nox, Burning of fossil fuels (for power generation and transportation) and vegetation. The end result of these activities has been a deterioration of the environment, leading to several environmental concerns such as: acid rain, global warming and ozone depletion. Fossil fuels: fuel that is believed to originate from the natural decomposition of organisms and trapped in sedimentary rock. Such fuels consist of carbon containing compounds such as coal, petroleum and natural gas. Acid rain: rain that is more acidic than expected. The increased acidity is attributed to oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, which dissolve in rain droplets and react with the water to form strong acids. Sulphur dioxide emissions causes acid rain, reduction in emissions can help. When atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in water it forms carbonic acid. The acid formed dissociates partially generating small amounts of hydrogen ions.
