Effects+of+Acid+Rain

=__Effects of Acid Rain__= **HUMAN HEALTH **  Acid rain is no different to clean rain. They look, feel and taste the same as each other. Humans are not harmed directly by acid rain. It is no    more dangerous walking or swimming in acid rain than it is in clean rain. However the pollution in the rain does do damage to human health. The gases, sul  fur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), interact in the atmosphere to form fine particles of sulfate and nitrate which can be transported long distan   ces by winds. People will then inhale these particles deep into their lungs. The particles can also end up indoors. Many scientist studies have shown that there is a relationship with elevated levels of fine particles and increase in illness and premature deaths from heart and lung diseases, such        as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis.  Acid rain can have major effects on a forest. The acid in the rain dissolves important nutrients, such as magnesium and c  alciu        m, from the leaves and the soil. This loss of nutrients makes it easier for trees to be infected and for insects and cold weather to damage the trees. Minerals are like vitamins for trees and plants and without them, trees and plants lose their leaves and become weak. They are no longer strong enough to survive, fight off illnesses or frost, causing them to become very ill and die. Without these trees society as we know it today would not be the same. Some soils are alkaline, when acid rain falls on them the acid becomes neutral. Plants and trees living on these soils are not in huge danger.  ** LAKES AND WATER LIFE  ** <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(8,164,231)"> Acid rain also has a terrible effect on water life as it causes the pH level to be much lower. Even if the acid rain does not fall s   <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)">  traight into the lake, it may enter from rivers and streams. Most of the living things in the lake such as fish and plants may end up dying, because they cannot s    <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(8,164,231)"> urvive in the acidic water. Thousands of lakes in Scandinavia have no more life in them due to the contaminated water. They have received so much acid rain over a long period of time, because of the winds pushing the acid gases, that nothing can survive. You can recognize a lake dead from acid rain by its clean and crystal clear water. They only appear clean on the surface as there is very little living in them anymore. Small plants and animals are at higher risk of dying because they are not as strong as larger ones. <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(244,171,6)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(244,171,6)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(244,171,6)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(244,171,6)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(244,171,6)">
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(216,3,127)">TREES AND PLANTS **[[image:Picture_Acid_Raidn_Effect_tree.jpg width="272" height="160" align="right" caption="What acid rain does to trees and plants"]]

Acid rain can also ruin buildings because the acid eats into metal and stone, damages stained glass and plastics and can also cause <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)">  paint to peel and stone statues to begin to appear old and worn down. Some types of building materials are softer than others, and it is the softer ones <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)">  <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"> which are most affected by acid rain. Sandstone and limestone are examples of stone which are fairly soft and are damaged easily. Granite is an  example of a harder stone that can resist the effects of acid rain. <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"> In many places in the world, ancient and famous buildings and monuments are being damaged by acid rain. For    <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)">  <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"> example, the Statue  <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)">    of Liberty in New York, USA, and the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Both of these monuments have had to be restored due to the damage from acid rain. Buildings are naturally eroded by rain, wind, frost and the sun, but when acidic gases are present, it speeds up the erosion.
 * BUILDINGS AND STATUES **  <span style="COLOR: rgb(7,159,242)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,219,15)">[[image:acid-rain-4.jpg width="201" height="152" align="right" caption="Stone angel damaged by acid rain"]]