Acid Rain in Europe: A Horror Film Come to Life
             The aim of this report is to summarise the causes and impacts of acid rain in Europe and recommend solutions to the problem.
             Acid rain is defined as "acid precipitation in the form of rain" in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.
             As our world advances and our industries progress, acid rain has become a major problem in the European society. Natural rain has a pH level of above 5.6 because of carbon dioxide dissolved in it. However, anything below a pH of 5.6 can only be described as acid rain. But over the decades, rain in some regions of Europe has come close to a pH of 4.5 and as low as 2.1 (equivalent to that of lemon juice). With the pH as low as this, acid rain has the power to not only wipe out plant life, but also animal life.
             In recent years, we have discovered many different causes for acid rain. The most important of all these causes is the reaction between the exhaust of cars and the pollutant from factories (oxides of nitrogen and sulfur) and atmospheric moisture to form highly acidic nitric acids and sulfuric acids. These acids can be carried a long way from their source before being deposited by rain. They may also take the forms of fog or snow or dry precipitation (these alternative forms are also called acid "rain"). Nevertheless, whether the acids are in the form of rain or fog, it does the same amount of damage to our environment.
             The worst affected parts of Europe (refer to right), surprisingly, aren't the industrialized countries themselves, but the north-western countries of Europe. This is because the prevailing north-westerly wind, as mentioned, can carry acids a long way from its origin. While this may seem attractive to south-eastern countries, Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Norway are devastated by its effects.
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