Acid Rain

• This video explains how the byproducts of fossil fuels can combine with UV radiation and water molecules to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid, the primary components of acid rain. 
• Students will learn that acid rain can damage buildings, contaminate water sources, impact the environment, and cause respiratory problems for humans. 
• There is also an interactive quiz available for students to test their knowledge about acid rain, pollution, and the pH scale. 

Positives

• This video is well-paced and easy to understand.
• It highlights the benefits that new environmental regulations had on reducing the amount of acid-forming pollution from smokestacks. 
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be somewhat familiar with the pH scale.
• You must sign in to comment on the site.
• Standards are available for AP Environmental Science courses.
  

Differentiation

• Engineering and chemistry classes could research ways to reinforce buildings so that they are not susceptible to acid rain.
• Government or civics classes could read about the EPA's Acid Rain Program on the EPA's website and discuss the role of agencies, such as the EPA, in protecting human health and the environment.
• Other resources on this topic include this Hot Mess video on how human-caused pollutants affect the atmosphere, this interactive map from the EPA that shows the air quality in the United States, and this video on the importance of engineering in the face of climate change.