1.
a) Coal-fired plants release sulfur dioxide, which forms sulphate droplets which reflect away sunlight, thus reducing visibility.
b) Normal rain has a pH range of 5-6. This means that if the rainfall is 10x more acidic, the pH range will fall in between 4-5.
2.
a) Less energy is required for hanging laundry in contrast to the amount required for operating a clothes dryer. If an electric dryer is in use, cutting down on energy use will mean that the power required will be decreased. Power companies will therefore have to burn less coal to produce electricity.
b) These options reduce the amount of energy sources used. They cut down on NO emissions, therefore lowering their contribution to rain acidity.
c) Similar to part a); less energy use in the form of electricity is required, thus reducing coal burning.
d) Saves energy by not allowing heat to dissipate into the surroundings, therefore decreasing the need for increased heating. Not insulating pipes will also heat up the air, increasing in the production of NO.
e) Importing food from overseas wastes cost of transportation that run on power such as coal and gasoline. Reducing imports/exports will thus lead to less use of coal and gasoline.
3. a)
| Acids | Bases |
| HCl (hydrochloric acid) | LiOH (lithium hydroxide) |
| HNO3 (nitric acid) | NaOH (sodium hydroxide) |
| H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) | KOH (potassium hydroxide) |
| HBr (hydrobromic acid) | Ca(OH)2 (calcium hydroxide) |
| HI (hydroiodic acid) | Ba(OH)2 (barium hydroxide) |
b) Acid tastes sour, turns blue litmus paper red, and releases carbon dioxide from carbonates. Bases taste bitter, turns red litmus paper blue, and have a slippery feel in water.
4. One of the biggest issues in Singapore currently is the haze. The issue stems from Indonesia’s forest fires. Relatively high concentrations of SO4(2-), NO3(-), and NH4(+) was seen during periods of burning. This was attributed to long residence time of air masses, which led to progressive gas to particle conversion of biomass burning emission components. The acid deposition originates outside Singapore borders as the ions are produced from the Indonesian’s forest fires.