Tag: acid rain

Questions Related to acid rain

The acid rain destroys vegetation because it contains 

  1. Nitrates

  2. H$ _2$SO$ _4$

  3. O$ _3$

  4. CO


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Acid rain is a formed due to the mixing of oxides of several harmful gases with the rain. Acid rain formation result from both natural sources, such as volcanoes and decaying vegetation, and man-made sources, primarily emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides resulting from fossil fuel combustion. These gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various acidic compounds. 

When this rain falls on the soil, the soil becomes acidic. Also, the leaves get destroyed and germinating seeds get corroded. Plants experience stunted growth. Thus, vegetation is destroyed.
So, the correct answer is option B.

Acid rain is due to increase in atmospheric concentration of

  1. Ozone and dust

  2. CO$ _2$ and CO

  3. SO$ _3$ and CO

  4. SO$ _2$ and NO$ _2$


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

NOx and $SO _2$ are emitted by fossil fuel combustion especially coal. These chemicals are converted into sulfuric acid and nitric acid in the atmosphere when they react with water vapour. When these acids are mixed with rain water they from acid rain. Thus, the correct answer is option D.

Read the passage and answer the following questions.


Acid rain is formed after the burning of fossil fuels releases compounds containing nitrogen and sulphur into the atmosphere. Sunlight and rain bring about chemical reactions that convert these compounds into nitric acid and sulphur dioxide, which combine with water droplets to form acid rain. Acid rain typically has a pH of approximately 5.5." . The higher acidity of soil and water affects many living organisms adversely. As the pH of lake waterfalls, fish become ill and die. Table 1 shows the effects of pH on the size of adult fish.

pH of lake Average length of fish (cm)    Average mass of fish (g)
7.5 30 cm 454 g
7.0 28 cm 450 g
6.5 29 cm  453 g
6.0 25 cm    401 g
5.5 20 cm    288 g
5.0 17 cm    127 g
4.5 all fish died all fish died


Mycorrhizal fungi, which form a mutualistic association with many plant roots, are particularly sensitive to the effects of acid rain. These fungi facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients by the plants; in turn, the plants provide sugars and amino acids without which the fungi could not survive.
If the pH of the soil was 7.0, then

  1. The fungi would survive but the plant would be harmed.

  2. The fungi would be harmed but the plant would survive.

  3. The fungi would be slightly harmed and the plant would be slightly harmed.

  4. Both the fungi and plant would survive.

  5. Neither the fungi nor the plant would be harmed.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

pH 7 is the neutral pH that does not harm plants and animals. Both plant and fungi will survive. Thus, the correct answer is option D.

Acid rain occurs above the area where

  1. There is excess release of $NH _3$ and coal gas

  2. Factories are expelling $SO _2$ into air

  3. There is excess production of $CO _2$ due to excessive combustion and respiration

  4. There is excess production of gaseous hydrocarbons


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Acid rain is a result of a chemical reaction occurring in a localized area where the concentration of the oxides of nitrogen and sulphur are high. An area where there are factories will have an accumulation of sulphur dioxide in the air. These oxides react with water and precipitate in the form of the acid rain. For example, around the Taj Mahal area, the presence of the Mathura Refinery has caused multiple events of acid rain.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Factories are expelling SO$ _{2}$ into air'.

Match the columns and find out the correct combination.

I II
a DDT i. Co, $CO _2$
b PAN ii. Smog
c Acid rain iii. Biological magnification
d Global warming iv. $SO _2$
  1. a-iv, b-iii, c-ii, d-i

  2. a-i, b-iii, c-ii, d-iv

  3. a-ii, b-iii, c-iv, d-i

  4. a-iii, b-ii, c-iv, d-i

  5. a-iii, b-iv, c-i, d-ii


Correct Option: D
Explanation:
   I    II
 a  DDT  iii  Biological magnification
 b  PAN  ii  Smog
 c  Acid Rain  iv  SO$ _{2}$
 d  Global Warming  i  CO, CO$ _{2}$

a. DDT is the organochlorine that was used as the insecticide. It is insoluble in water but shows persistence in the adipose tissues of the living organisms due to which it keeps in accumulating at the successive trophic level in the food chain. This accumulation is called the biological accumulation.

b. Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) is the secondary pollutant that causes the formation of smog in the presence of sunlight,
c. Acid rain the result of the reaction between the oxides of nitrogen and sulphur with the water to form the respective acids and precipitate in the form of acid rain.
d. Global warming is the increase in the temperature of the earth due to the trapping of the long-wave infra-red radiations by the gases like CO, CO$ _{2}$. This is called the greenhouse effect.
Hence, the correct answer is 'a-iii, b-ii, c-iv, d-i'.

Study the following statements regarding acid rain and select the incorrect ones.


(i) Acid rain refers to the rainfall and other forms of precipitation with a pH of less than 5.
(ii) Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen are released from automobile exhausts, industries, power plants, etc.
(iii) These oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, may react with water in the air and form sulphuric acid $ \left( { H } _{ 2 }{ SO } _{ 4 } \right)  $ and nitric acid $ \left( { HNO } _{ 3 } \right)  $
(iv) Acid rain has harmful effects on animals and human beings but no characteristic impact on plants.

  1. (i) and (iii)

  2. (iii) and (iv)

  3. (iv) only

  4. (ii) only


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Acid rain damages plants by direct effect on foliage and growing point-chlorosis, necrosis, defoliation, dieback. It causes leaching of essential minerals of soil.

Below given are few effects
A. Acidification of soil reduces fertility of soil
B. Destroys aquatic life and pollutes water resources
C. Causes irritation to eyes and skin of human beings and cattles
D. Causes erosion to buildings, bridges, statues etc
These all are the effects of 

  1. Global warming

  2. Green house effect

  3. Eutrophication

  4. Acid rains


Correct Option: D

Acid rain is caused by or recent reports of acid rain in some industrial cities are due to the effect of atmospheric pollution by

  1. Excessive release of $CO _2$ by burning of fuels like wood and charcoal, cutting of forests and increased animal population

  2. Excessive release of $NO _2$ and $SO _2$ in the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuel

  3. Excessive release of $NH _3$ by industrial plants and coal gas

  4. Excessive release of CO in the atmosphere by incomplete combustion of coke, charcoal and other carbonaceous fuel in the of oxygen


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

When $SO _2$ pollution in the air is much higher. Sometimes, $SO _2$ mixes in the air with small particles of metals near the factories and gets oxidised into sulphur trioxide $SO _3$. These gases are harmful and they react with water to form sulphuric acid ($H _2$$SO _4$) or sulphurous acid ($H _2$$SO _3$) and come down to earth with rainwater; it is called acid rain or acid precipitation.

Damage of Taj Mahal is being caused by

  1. Acid rain

  2. Dust

  3. Global warming

  4. Smoke


Correct Option: A
Explanation:
Taj Mahal is situated in Agra which has a number of industries. The pollutants from industries are released in the air which include oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. The oxides of sulphur and nitrogen react with water vapours in the atmosphere and form sulphuric acid and nitric acid which come down on earth in the form of rain and this is known as acid rain. 
The acid rain reacts with the marble of Taj Mahal which is made up of calcium carbonate and this has resulted in the change of colour of marble of Taj Mahal from white to pale yellow. Thus acid rain due to industrialization in Agra is damaging the Taj Mahal.
So, the correct answer is 'Acid rain'.

Acid rain is caused by.

  1. Excess production of coal gas

  2. Excess release of $CO _2$ due to increasing combustion and respiration

  3. Excess release of $SO _2$ and $NO _2$ from burning fossil fuels

  4. Excess production of gaseous hydrocarbons


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Oxides of Sulphur and Nitrogen produced by the burning of fossil fuels react with water molecules in the atmosphere forming Sulphur based and Nitrogen based acids.

They precipitate and cause corrosion of buildings and plants.
So, the correct option is 'Excess release of  SO$ _2$ and NO$ _2$ from burning fossil fuels .'