How does air pollution lead to acid rain?

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How does air pollution lead to acid rain?

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Answer 1 · 2015-09-16T18:59:15

Some factories and industries burn sulphur to release sulphur dioxide into the air. For example, during preparation for the contact process.
$S + O_{2} \to S O_{2}$ $S+O_2->SO_2$
This sulphur dioxide then reacts with oxygen in the air to form sulphur trioxide.
$2 S O_{2} + O_{2} \to 2 S O_{3}$ $2SO_2+O_2->2SO_3$
(During the contact process, which is the industrial preparation of sulphuric acid, this takes place at high temperature and pressure and in the presence of a Vanadium pentoxide catalyst.).

Both of these products can react with water in the atmosphere when it rains to form acid rain, sulphurous acid or sulphuric acid.

$S O_{2} + H_{2} O \to H_{2} S O_{3}$ $SO_2+H_2O->H_2SO_3$

$S O_{3} + H_{2} O \to H_{2} S O_{4}$ $SO_3+H_2O->H_2SO_4$

This acid rain can erode away metals etc.

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How does air pollution lead to acid rain?

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