Question

Mention two effects of acid rain.

Mention the harmful effects of acid rain.

Answer 1

The following are the harmful effects of acid rain:

• Acid rain may lead to the corrosion of buildings, monuments, bridges, etc.
• It increases acidity in the soil, leading to its reduced fertility and affecting the lives of aquatic animals.

Answer 2

The following are the harmful effects of acid rain:

1. Damage to aquatic ecosystems: Acid rain lowers the pH of lakes, rivers, and ponds, killing aquatic plants and fish and disrupting food chains; it can also mobilize (leach) heavy metals into the water, harming organisms and making water unsafe.
2. Harm to soil and crops: Acidic deposition acidifies soils, leaches away essential nutrients, and reduces soil fertility, which lowers crop yields and harms vegetation.
3. Forest and plant injury: Acid rain burns or discolors leaves, weakens trees by damaging foliage and roots, and makes forests more susceptible to disease, pests, and harsh weather.
4. Corrosion and damage to buildings, monuments, and infrastructure: Acidic precipitation corrodes metals and weathers stone (especially marble and limestone), staining and eroding statues, buildings, and historic monuments.
5. Contamination of groundwater and drinking water supplies: By leaching toxic metals and changing water chemistry, acid rain can make underground and surface waters unfit for use.
6. Indirect effects on humans and economies: Through reduced agricultural productivity, loss of fisheries, damage to forests, and increased costs for repairing buildings and treating polluted water, acid rain causes economic and public-health impacts.