AE6: Neutralizing the Threat of Acid Rain

 

Q1

a) Coal fired plants produces huge amount of water vapour in combustion process and when this water vapour produced  cooled to form fog reducing the visibility in the area.

b) Average pH of rain –pH 7. Since NPCA reported to be 10 times more acidic than natural, from the pH equation (pH= – log [H+]), the estimated pH of rainfall in the park will be pH6.

Q2

– Hang your laundry to dry it

Hang clothes to dry instead of using the dryer uses leads to less power generation. As such this will reduce amount of gas and coal required to generate the power. Hence lesser contribution to acid rain.

-Walk, bike or take public transportation to work

Cars on the road lead to NO pollutants released which leads to acid rain production. Hence by taking public transport, walk and bike reduces amount of NO production hence reducing acid rain.

-Avoid running dishwashers and washing machines with small loads

This means lesser usage of electrical appliances. As a result lesser power required coming from the gas or coal, hence reduces amount of acid rain production.

-Add additional insulation on hot water heaters and pipes prevents heat from escaping.

Thus, lesser energy consumption to generate heat. Since lesser energy consumption, it reduces fossil fuel consumption thus decreasing acid rain production.

– To buy locally produce and grown food largely reduces the transportation-related acid rain emissions being released into the atmosphere. This is because the transportation used such as trucks , planes and boats are powered by fossil fuels which contributes to sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These chemicals released leads to acid deposition.

 

Q3.

a. Acids:

HCl- hydrogen chloride

H2SO4- sulfuric acid

HNO3- Nitric Acid

CH3COOH- Ethanoic Acid

COH(CH2)2(COOH)3- citric Acid

 

Bases:

KOH- Potassium Hydroxide

NaOH- Sodium Hydroxide

Ca(OH)2- Calcium Hydroxide

Ba(OH)2- Barium Hydroxide

 

b. Observable properties

-Acids turn litmus paper red while Bases turn litmus paper blue

– All acids taste sour while bases taste bitter.

– Acids tend to be sticky while bases are slippery.

Q4.

Over the years, there is an increasing acidity in the down pour in Singapore. This acid deposition originate from both inside and outside of Singapore’s borders. Singapore having a dense urban development and large industrial base, air emitted from both the industries and motor vehicles releases large amount of pollutants such as Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides which causes acid rain production. This has been an issue to Singapore and strategic ways such as using Near Sulphur-Free Diesel to reduce SO2 emissions diesel industries and vehicles. Alternatively, policies were implemented over the years to curb the amount of pollutants released especially in industrial areas.

Apart from that, smoke haze released from land and forest fires in the region outside of Singapore borders have also affect Singapore’s air quality during the monsoon period.