acid

             What is acid rain? Acid rain is the term for pollution caused
             when sulfur and nitrogen dioxides combine with atmospheric
             moisture. The term 'acid rain' is slightly misleading, and would
             be more accurate if deemed 'enhanced acid rain', as rain occurs
             acidic naturally. Acidity is measured on what is know as the pH
             scale. Fourteen is the most basic, seven is the most neutral, and
             zero is the most acidic. Pure rain has a pH level of 7, which is
             exactly neutral. The acidity of rain is determined by the pH of
             pure water in reaction with atmospheric concentrations of
             carbon dioxide, resulting in carbonic acid. These particles
             partly dissociate to produce hydrogen ions and bicarbonate
             ions. A bicarbonate atom is an ion formed by one hydrogen
             atom, one carbon at atom, and three oxygen atoms, and is very
             effective in natural waters at neutralizing hydrogen ions and
             reducing acidity. The dissociation results in the natural acidity
             of pure rain, which is moderately acidic at a pH of 5.7. Rain
             less than 5.7 is considered 'acid rain', meaning it has reacted
             with acidic atmospheric gases other than carbon dioxide, such
             as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is
             produced by electric utilities, industrial, commercial and
             residential heating, smelters, diesel engines and marine and rail
             transport, which creates sulfuric acid in rain. Nitrogen dioxide
             will also react with the rain, caused largely by transportation
             ...

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