Acid Rain: A Visual Explainer
A single clean diagram tracing how industrial SO₂ and NOˣ emissions turn into acidic rainfall, in four stages.
📌 Revision Pointers
Emission: burning fossil fuels in power plants, vehicles and factories releases SO₂ and NOˣ.
Oxidation: these gases react with oxygen and water vapour in clouds to form sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃) droplets.
Deposition: acids return to earth as wet deposition (rain, snow, fog) or dry deposition (gases, dust), often far from the source, acidifying soil, water bodies, forests and corroding structures.
Trace the chain reaction of acid rain — gas emission, atmospheric oxidation, deposition, and the resulting ecological and structural damage.
💭 Conclusion
Acid rain is a recurring GS Paper III (Environment) concept on air pollution, frequently tested alongside real-world case studies such as the Taj Mahal's marble corrosion.