How does acid rain form?

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How does acid rain form?

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Answer 1 · 2015-12-20T19:39:49

Acid rain forms when water reacts with sulfur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide.

Explanation:

Acid rain forms when water molecules in the atmosphere react with sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides to form an acidic compound. The resulting compound has a lower pH.

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The chemical reactions that occur when water molecules mix with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are below:
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Nitrogen oxides can be produced naturally by lightening strikes and sulfur dioxides is formed when volcanoes explode, but acid rain can also be caused by emissions due to humans.

Answer 2 · 2018-03-11T14:08:33

Sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides reacting with water.

Explanation:

SULFUR OXIDES

1) Sulfur dioxide $({SO}_{2})$ $("SO"_2)$ is produced industrially from the combustion of sulfur-containing fossil fuels and smelting of sulfide ores

$S (s) + O_{2} (g) \to {SO}_{2} (g)$ $"S"(s) + "O"_2(g) -> "SO"_2(g)$

2) Sulfur dioxide $({SO}_{2})$ $("SO"_2)$ is then oxidized by sunlight to form sulfur trioxide $({SO}_{3})$ $("SO"_3)$

$2 {SO}_{2} (g) + O_{2} (g) \to 2 {SO}_{3} (g)$ $2"SO"_2(g) + "O"_2(g) -> 2"SO"_3(g)$

3) The oxides react with water to form acids

${SO}_{2} (g) + H_{2} O (l) \to H_{2} {SO}_{3} (a q)$ $"SO"_2(g) + "H"_2"O"(l) -> "H"_2"SO"_3(aq)$

${SO}_{3} (g) + H_{2} O (l) \to H_{2} {SO}_{4} (a q)$ $"SO"_3(g) + "H"_2"O" (l) -> "H"_2"SO"_4(aq)$

NITROGEN OXIDES

1) Nitrogen monoxide $(NO)$ $("NO")$ is produced from internal combustion of engines

$N_{2} (g) + O_{2} (g) \to 2 NO (g)$ $"N"_2(g) + "O"_2(g) -> 2"NO"(g)$

2) Nitrogen monoxide $(NO)$ $("NO")$ oxidizes to form nitrogen dioxide

$2 NO (g) + O_{2} (g) \to 2 {NO}_{2} (g)$ $2"NO"(g) + "O"_2(g) -> 2"NO"_2(g)$

3) Nitrogen dioxide reacts with water to form nitric acid $({HNO}_{3})$ $("HNO"_3)$ and nitrous acid $({HNO}_{2})$ $("HNO"_2)$

$2 {NO}_{2} (g) + H_{2} O (l) \to {HNO}_{3} (a q) + {HNO}_{2} (a q)$ $2"NO"_2(g) + "H"_2"O"(l) -> "HNO"_3(aq) + "HNO"_2(aq)$

or it reacts with oxygen and water and becomes nitric acid

$4 NO 2_{g} + O_{2} (g) + H_{2} O (l) \to 4 {HNO}_{3} (a q)$ $4"NO"2_(g) + "O"_2(g) + "H"_2"O"(l) -> 4"HNO"_3(aq)$

The above was taken from Oxford IB Chemistry Study Guide by Geoffrey Neuss textbook (pg 62)

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How does acid rain form?

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