Tag: economics

Sulfur dioxide emitted by factories near the monument and exhaust from trucks and buses are slowly corroding the Taj Mahal's soft marble. SO$ _2$ produces sulfurous and sulfuric acids with water. Sulfuric acid reacts with marble to produce calcium sulphate which is soluble in water hence marble dissolves and erodes. 

Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions with pH of less than 5. It is due to the excess of SO$ _2$and NO$ _2$ in the air which along with water form sulphurous and nitric acid. It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure. Taj Mahal loss of whitening is because of Acid rain.

Acid Rain is any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms.

All of the given gases are present in acid rain. Many gases from the industrial effluents and burning of fuels in automobiles led to the release of these harmful gases in the air. These get mixed with rain and form the harmful acid rain.

Acid rain is the result of increased sulphur and nitrogen oxide levels in the atmosphere. When nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide reacts with water, oxygen and other chemicals forms nitric acid and sulfuric acid which then mix with rainwater and causes acid rain. Thus, the correct answer is option E.

Mycorrhizae are the symbiotic fungi that reside in roots of higher plants and increase soil fertility by nitrogen fixation and also increase water and mineral absorption by plant roots. Fungi are beneffited by this association as they get sugar and amino acids. Both partners are benefitted; association is symbiosis. 

Sulphur dioxide (SO$ _2$) is an air pollutant. When this gas comes in contact with water droplets, it gets converted to mild sulphuric acid which is acidic. Hence in areas of pollution with SO$ _2$ gas, normal rain water gets converted to sulphuric acid. This is called as acid rain. Acid rain generally leads to weathering of buildings, corrosion of metals, and peeling of paints on surfaces.

The reduction in the shine of Taj mahal is understood by the term called as marble cancer. Various pollutants are emitted by the industries situated near Agra, specially the Mathura refinery. These pollutants react with the marble forming a fine layer of dust over it and also various gases like sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide combines with moisture and settles down as acid rain on the walls of the monument thus provides a yellow tingle to its pure white marble.

Acid rain is rainfall and other forms of precipitation with a pH less than 5. Acid rain is caused by large scale emission of acidic gases into the atmosphere from thermal power plants, industries, and automobiles. The common ones are sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic carbons and hydrogen chloride. These oxides combine with water to form acids.