Pollutants present in the air such as sulphuric acid and nitrogen oxides (released by the burning of fossil fuels and industrial emissions) combine with the droplets of water in the air and come down as rain; this is known as acid rain. The Main effects of Acid Rain are
Effects of Acid Rain
- Affects the human nervous system by causing neurological diseases
- Affects the lives of aquatic animals
- Leads to the corrosion of buildings, monuments and bridges
- Increases acidity of soil, leading to reduced fertility
Effects of Acid Rain on Soil
Acid rain can cause soil pollution. Soil pollution leads to a reduction in mineralization and decomposition. It also reduces soil fertility and soil aeration. Further, it is important to check the accumulation of wastes and reduce soil pollution.
Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming
The Earth receives sunrays which keep it warm. The Earth does not absorb all the heat but emits a part of the heat back into space. This helps in maintaining uniform temperature on the surface of the Earth. A greenhouse is a building made of glass in which plants are grown. The building made of glass absorbs the heat of the Sun but does not allow it to go out. This increases the temperature inside the glass building.
Similarly, many greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere (such as carbon dioxide) absorb the Sun’s energy and do not reflect it into space, leading to the increase in the temperature of the Earth. Four gases are mainly responsible for creating the greenhouse effect on the Earth. These gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Many human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have resulted in global warming.
Effects of Global Warming
- The temperature of the Earth is likely to increase by 2°C to 5°C in the next hundred years.
- This increase in temperature will result in the melting of snow in the polar regions of the Earth. This will result in the rise of the sea level leading to the submergence of coastal lands.
- Increase in temperature will result in changes in climatic conditions all over the world by influencing the wind and rain patterns.
- Rise in temperature will result in an increased rate of transpiration which will lead to the depletion of the groundwater table.
Also, Read Waste Management-I