Acid Rain (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Environmental Management): Flashcards
Exam code: 0680
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Define acid rain.
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Define acid rain.
Acid rain is precipitation that has become acidic because sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water and oxygen in the atmosphere to form acids.
What is the main source of sulfur dioxide emissions?
Power stations that burn coal and oil are the main source of sulfur dioxide emissions.
Nitrogen oxides form when atmospheric nitrogen reacts with oxygen at the very high inside engines and furnaces.
Nitrogen oxides form when atmospheric nitrogen reacts with oxygen at the very high temperatures inside engines and furnaces.
Where do most nitrogen oxide emissions come from?
Most nitrogen oxide emissions come from vehicle exhausts.
True or False?
All the gases that cause acid rain come from human activities.
False.
Natural sources, such as volcanic eruptions, also release the gases that cause acid rain.
Define dry deposition.
Dry deposition is when acidic gases settle directly onto surfaces such as buildings, vegetation and soil without rain.
How does acid rain affect the pH of lakes and rivers?
Acid rain lowers the pH of lakes and rivers, causing water acidification that can leave them unable to support life.
Why does acidification of a lake lead to the death of larger fish?
Acidification kills the microorganisms at the base of the food web, so the food supply for larger fish dwindles.
Acid rain can aluminium, copper and other heavy metals out of the soil and into runoff and drinking water.
Acid rain can leach aluminium, copper and other heavy metals out of the soil and into runoff and drinking water.
Define transboundary pollution.
Transboundary pollution is pollution that winds carry across national borders, so acid rain falls on countries downwind of the source.
How does acid rain affect soil nutrients?
Acid rain lowers soil pH, which reduces the nutrients in the soil and makes it harder for plants to absorb nutrients and grow.
How does acid rain falling on leaves damage a plant?
Acid rain damages the leaves' protective waxy coating, which interrupts water and gas exchange and can eventually kill the plant.
True or False?
Coniferous trees such as pine and spruce withstand acid rain well.
False.
Conifers are especially vulnerable to acid rain because of their shallow root systems and thin bark.
Why does acid rain damage limestone and marble buildings?
Limestone and marble contain calcium carbonate, which reacts with sulfuric or nitric acid, so the stone corrodes and weakens.
Why do soils in Sweden become acidic so easily?
Swedish soils become acidic easily because they contain very little limestone.
Define flue gas desulfurisation.
Flue gas desulfurisation is a process that removes sulfur dioxide from the waste gases of coal-fired power stations before they leave the chimney.
What does a flue gas desulfurisation scrubber spray over the waste gases?
The scrubber sprays a wet slurry of calcium oxide and calcium carbonate over the waste gases.
In flue gas desulfurisation, calcium compounds react with sulfur dioxide to produce calcium .
In flue gas desulfurisation, calcium compounds react with sulfur dioxide to produce calcium sulfate.
Why can the gas leaving a desulfurisation absorber damage equipment?
The gas is highly corrosive because it is saturated with water and still contains some sulfur dioxide.
True or False?
Reducing corrosion in flue gas desulfurisation systems adds nothing to running costs.
False.
Using corrosion-resistant materials or reheating the gases above dew point reduces corrosion but adds to the running costs of the system.
Define catalytic converter.
A catalytic converter is a device fitted to a vehicle's exhaust that uses metal catalysts to convert toxic gases, such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, into less toxic gases.
Why do the catalysts in a catalytic converter sit in a honeycomb?
The honeycomb increases the surface area available for the reactions.
Catalytic converters contain precious metal catalysts such as platinum and .
Catalytic converters contain precious metal catalysts such as platinum and rhodium.
Why can a catalytic converter increase a vehicle's fuel consumption?
A catalytic converter can increase fuel consumption because the engine needs extra fuel to keep the converter hot enough to work.
True or False?
Many countries make catalytic converters compulsory on vehicles.
True.
Making catalytic converters compulsory is a common transport policy to cut the vehicle emissions that cause acid rain.
How can governments use subsidies to reduce the gases that cause acid rain?
Governments can give larger subsidies to public transport, so more people use it instead of cars and burn fewer fossil fuels.
True or False?
Electric vehicles cause no emissions at any stage of their life.
False.
Electric vehicles have no tailpipe emissions, but emissions occur when their raw materials are mined, refined and manufactured, and their electricity may come from a fossil-fuel grid.
What is a limitation of carpooling?
Carpooling offers limited flexibility and causes extra wear and tear on vehicles, which raises maintenance costs.
Why do some people keep using cars despite schemes that promote public transport?
In some countries, the fares, availability and reliability of public transport put people off using it.
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