Acid rain can affect the earth in many different ways. Below you can see how soil, trees, lakes, buildings and people are affected when acid rain falls on the earth.
Soil
Acid rain can damage soil by destroying many vital substances and washing away the nutrients. Soils naturally contain small amounts of poisonous minerals such as mercury and aluminium. Normally these minerals do not cause serious problems, but when acid rain falls on the ground and the acidity of the soil increases, chemical reactions occur allowing the poisonous minerals to be taken up by the plant roots. The trees and plants are then damaged and any animals eating them will absorb the poisons, which will stay in their bodies.
Trees
The acid takes important minerals away from the leaves and the soil. Without these minerals, trees and plants cannot grow properly. Damaged trees lose their leaves, have stunted growth and damaged bark. This makes it easier for fungi and insects to attack the tree, and as a result the tree may die.
Acid rain not only damages soil but can also affect the trees directly. Pollutants can block or damage the little pores on the leaves through which the plant takes in the air it needs to survive.
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11:58 AM on January 06, 2010
