Q1. Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is in close proximity to the coal-fired electric utility plants in the Ohio Valley. Noting this, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) reported that this national park had the poorest visibility of any in the country.
a. What is the connection between coal-fired plants and poor visibility?
Coal-fired plants release sulphur dioxide, creating sulphate particles that are responsible for 60 to 85% of the poor visibility in eastern parks.
b. The NPCA reported “the average rainfall in Mammoth Cave National Park is 10 times more acidic than natural.” From this information and that in your text, estimate the pH of rainfall in the park.
Normal rain has a pH range of 5–6, so if the rainfall in this park is 10 times more acidic, the pH range must be 4–5 since pH is a log scale based on 10, a pH change of 1 unit represents a power of 10 change in [H+].
Q2. Here are examples of what an individual might do to reduce acid rain. For each, explain the connection to producing acid rain.
a. Hang your laundry to dry it.
Hanging laundry to dry requires less energy than using a electric dryer. Cutting down on energy use cuts down on the need for power companies to produce electricity by burning coal, hence decrease the amount of SO2 emission thus decrease the production of acid rain.
b. Walk, bike, or take public transportation to work.
All of these transportation method reduces the amount of gasoline (or other energy source) used, cutting down on NO emissions and thus contributing less to the acidity of the rain.
c. Avoid running dishwashers and washing machines with small loads.
Avoid running dishwashers and washing machines with small loads will reduce cutting down on energy use cuts down on the need for power companies to produce electricity by burning coal, hence decrease the amount of SO2 emission thus decrease the production of acid rain.
d. Add additional insulation on hot water heaters and pipes.
Reduce heat loss of the hot water heater and pipes hence reducing extra energy used to keep water hot. This will decrease the need to produce electricity by burning coal, hence decrease the amount of SO2 emission thus decrease the production of acid rain.
e. Buy locally grown produce and locally produced food.
Buying locally grown produce can decrease the sale of industrial food production which is mostly dependent on fossil fuels when refined and burned can emit SO2 and NO which is the main cause of acid rain.
Q3.
a. Give names and chemical formulas for five acids and five bases.
Acids:
Sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
Nitric acid (HNO3)
Chromic acid (H2CrO4)
Boric acid (H3BO3)
Acetic acid (CH3COOH)
Bases:
Lithium hydroxide (LiOH)
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
Potassium hydroxide (KOH)
Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)
Barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)2)
b. Name three observable properties generally associated with acids and bases.
Acids are sour while Bases are bitter.
Acid turn blue litmus paper red while Bases turn red litmus paper blue.
Both acid and bases conduct electricity.
Q4. The concern of acid rain vary across the globe. Many countries in North America and Europe have websites dealing with acid rain. Either search to locate (“Canada, acid rain”) or use these links to websites in Canada, the UK, or Europe. What are the issues in Singapore? Does the acid deposition originate outside or inside the Singapore’s borders?
Issues in Singapore:
Haze- Forest burning from neighbouring country
Increase in mean temperature
Rising sea level
The acid deposition originate both inside and outside of Singapore’s border. However, the extent of acid deposition is higher outside of Singapore’s border.
Acid deposition originate from the inside of Singapore due to the factories that emits SO2 and NO gases as they burn coals for energy but this is a small amount because the government set regulation to control the amount of harmful gases emitted.
Acid deposition originate from the outside of Singapore’s border such as forest burning in Indonesia which releases harmful gases that can lead to acid rain. This is a more serious problem because the authorities in the country do not regulate the amount of harmful gases emitted hence the acid deposition is more serious outside Singapore.