acid rain and plants experiment

Acid Rain Experiment

Acid rain is a major environmental concern across the planet. The impact of acid rain on the environment and various ecosystems is well documented, but it may be difficult for students to see. As part of our environmental sciences studies, we have developed a special science experiment exploring the impact of acid rain on plants. The results were impactful and highly educational.

Acid Rain Science Experiment for Kids

What you will discover in this article!

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Acid Rain Experiment Video

Before we dive into the science behind acid rain and the details of this experiment. Here is a video of us conducting the experiment. If you can’t see the video, please turn off your adblockers. If you are still struggling to see the video, you can also find it on the STEAM Powered Family YouTube Channel .

Now, let’s explore what acid rain is, so we have a firm understanding of the science behind this issue affecting our environment.

What is acid rain?

Acid rain is rain or any other form of precipitation (snow, hail, even mist) that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions and a low pH.

Acid rain, also called acid precipitation or acid deposition, is classified as acidic based on it having a pH of 5 or less. As a comparison, water, especially drinking water, has a neutral pH between 6.5 and 8.5. The more acidic the acid rain is, the lower its pH is. Acid rain can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure.

What causes acid rain?

Acid rain is primarily comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels in our cars, industry and and in the production of electricity and energy at power plants, produces harmful emissions, such as sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NOx; the combination of NO and NO 2 ).

There are natural contributors to acid rain. Rotting vegetation and erupting volcanoes release some chemicals that can cause acid rain, but most acid rain is a product of human activities.

How does acid rain form?

Acid rain is a popular expression for the more scientific term acid deposition . It refers to the way acidity can move from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface. Although the most common way is through water (called wet deposition), it can also move through dust (this is called dry deposition).

When fossil fuels are burned they release emissions into the atmosphere. The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the planet. On Earth, the atmosphere helps make life possible. Changes to our atmosphere are leading to climate change and life altering damage to our planet.

These emissions are toxic gases, mainly sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases then mix with water in the atmosphere, creating a chemical reaction and the result is acid rain. The acidic precipitation then falls back down to the Earth.

Here are the chemical reactions taking place in the atmosphere to make acid rain:

SO 2 (sulfur dioxide)+ H 2 O (water) → H 2 SO 4 (sulfuric acid) ←→ H+ (hydrogen ions)+ H S O 4 (sulfuric acid) ←→ 2H+ (hydrogen ions) + SO 4 2 (sulfate)

NO 2 (nitrogen dioxide)+ H 2 O (water) → HNO 3 (nitric acid) ←→ H+ (hydrogren ions) + NO 3 (nitrate)

What are the effects of acid rain?

Acid rain can negatively affect everything in the environment, especially plants, aquatic animals and even human built infrastructure.

Acid deposition can reduce the pH of surface waters and lowers biodiversity. Biodiversity is critical to the health of our planet and the loss of that diversity negatively affects us all. Acid rain weakens trees and other plants, increasing their susceptibility to damage from stressors, such as drought, extreme cold/heat, climate change, and pests, which can lead to loss of vegetation.

Acid rain also depletes the soil of important plant nutrients, such as calcium and magnesium, which also contribute to the health of plants. It can also release aluminum, bound to soil particles and rock, in its toxic dissolved form.

Human built environments are not immune from the impact. Acid rain contributes to the corrosion of surfaces exposed to air pollution and is responsible for the deterioration of limestone and marble buildings and monuments. Ancient monuments are especially vulnerable.

What can we do about acid rain?  

A great way to reduce acid rain is to produce energy without using fossil fuels. If people and industry started using renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power this would result in a dramatic reduction in emissions. Renewable energy sources help reduce acid rain because they produce much less pollution.

We can also reduce our use of man made energy. Turn off the lights, computers and other electronics when not in use. Don’t waste water. Minimize the use of furnaces and air conditioning whenever possible (put on sweaters to warm up, or open windows to cool the house). Instead of driving take public transport, bike or walk. By conserving energy, we can substantially reduce emissions because less energy will need to be produced by the power plants.

Acid Rain Science Experiment

Now we have learned more about acid rain, let’s do a simple, but powerful science experiment with our young scientists. In this experiment we are using a different acid (we don’t want to use toxic gases around our students!), but the effect is still the same and profound.

Does acid rain affect plant growth science project

Water Vinegar 2 Large Jars 2 vials or small glasses Plastic Wrap 2 Elastics 6 marbles (see below for details and alternatives) Flowers Sunny day

Start by making sure your glasses or vials fit nicely inside the large jar with a flower inside of it. You can trim the flower stem as needed.

Fill the glass with water and place a flower in the glass.

Carefully place the glass with the flower inside the jar. Make sure the flower is not near the top of the jar. It should be cut so it sits just below the top.

Do exactly the same with the second jar. You now have of the same set ups. Let’s add our variable.

Pro Tip ! To ensure you maintain your control or constant variables, make sure each flower is the same height, has the same number of leaves, and has the same amount of water in its’ glass.

This next step is a bit tricky. You can use a spoon or I used my fingers. Carefully pour about 1/2 cup of water into the jar, making sure not to get any on the flower or in the glass. It should just be in the bottom of the jar.

Cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap, place the marbles on top of the plastic wrap. The wrap just be just loose enough so the marbles make it drop a tiny bit. Secure the plastic wrap with an elastic. Use all the same coloured marbles, we used blue to indicate that this jar has water only inside.

Now repeat with the second jar, but instead of water, add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the bottom of the jar. Again being VERY careful not to get any vinegar on the flower or in the glass. Pour it only into the bottom of the jar.

Cover with plastic wrap, place three marbles on the plastic (we used green for acid/vinegar), then secure with an elastic.

Place both jars in the sun either outside or on a window ledge.

You will start to notice changes within a few hours, but we left ours for 24 hours. Due to the cool nights here, we did move the jars inside in the evening.

After 24 hours, remove the glasses with the flowers and observe the differences.

We used different coloured marbles to keep track of which jar was water and which one was vinegar. If you don’t have different coloured marbles, you can use some pebbles, erasers, or anything else that will provide a bit of weight. Just make sure you mark your jars in some way.

The Science

In this experiment we are looking at the effect of acid rain on our flowers. However instead of using toxic gases like the emissions from fossil fuels, we are using vinegar or acetic acid. The reason this works well is because acetic acid can evaporate and condensate just like water. Vinegar has a pH of between 2 and 4 depending on which type of vinegar is used. It is also readily accessible, natural, and non-toxic for students.

The marbles serve an important purpose. As the water and acetic acid evaporate in the warmth of the sun, it goes from liquid to gas. Once in the air, it creates condensation on the sides and plastic cover of the jar. The condensation is the gas returning to liquid form. This then drips back down onto our flower in it’s own little water cycle.

In this experiment we wanted to make sure the condensation on the plastic fell onto our flower and into the glass. By adding those marbles, it lowers the centre of the plastic, which causes the evaporation droplets to drip from the lowest point onto our flower which is placed in the centre of the jar.

The Results

The results were profound. As I mentioned earlier, we started noticing changes in our flowers but we decided to leave them for a full 24 hours. And I am very glad we did. Our observations would have not been the same had we stopped the experiment earlier.

Take a look at this before and after comparison of the two jars. Remember, the acid jar has green marbles on the left and the water jar has blue marbles on the right.

We started with two jars that has flowers of the same height, in a container with water. Our variable was whether it had water or vinegar at the bottom of the jar.

In the acid jar, the flower stem was completely wilted. The flower itself still looked OK, but the stem had lost all of its strength and integrity and could no longer stay upright. It had also started to yellow a little bit. It was a very, very sad looking flower.

Take a look at the results after 24 hours.

In the water jar, not only was our flower happy and strong, but it had actually grown in the 24 hours! We were shocked by this discovery. If we had stopped the experiment earlier, we would not have seen this, so I am happy we did the full 24 hours. The flower had actually grown a few centimeters and was now pushing up on the plastic. Our safe water filled environment provided our flower with the perfect conditions to grow and thrive.

A result that was so very, very different from the acid jar. Here are the flowers once we removed them from the jar.

During the experiment we took temperature readings with our infrared thermometer to see if there was any temperature differences in the jars that would account for the effect on the flowers, but the temperatures were consistent between the two jars.

This experiment was very easy to do, but the results had a profound effect and provided a powerful learning opportunity for students to learn about the effects of pollution and acid rain.

Extension Experiments

Learn more about pH in our pH Lab .

Learn more about water pH, especially the pH of rainwater vs drinking water, in our Water Lab .

Explore the Water Cycle with this Water Cycle Experiment .

Make a Rain Gauge with our simple tutorial .

International Day of Clean Air

The atmosphere knows no borders, so the emissions released from one area, can travel long distances in our atmosphere, only to fall in other areas. That is why it is so important that we have International Clean Air Act initiatives to help protect all areas of our planet. The International Day of Clean Air is celebrated on September 7 every year.

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Acid Rain Experiment

What happens to plants when rain is acidic? Set up an easy acid rain science project with this flowers in vinegar experiment. Explore what causes acid rain and what can be done about it. A great project for Earth Day !

What Is Acid Rain?

You might already know that water is necessary for all living things on Earth. Rain provides much of the water for the planet. Check out our water cycle in a bag activity ! What happens though when rainwater becomes acidic?

Most water, including the water we drink, has a neutral pH between 6.5 and 8.5. Acid rain is rainfall and other forms of precipitation that are acidic, that is, they have a pH lower than 6.5. Learn more about the pH scale.

• What causes acid rain?

Some acid rain is caused by gases released from rotting vegetation and volcanic eruptions, but most is caused by chemicals released into the air from burning coal, petroleum, and other products.

The main gases leading to acid rain are sulfur and nitrogen dioxide. These gases become acids when they come into contact with water and oxygen. A chemical reaction takes place!

How does acid rain affect the environment?

Can acid rain hurt us? Although acid rain is not acidic enough to directly burn our skin, it has a harmful effect on forests, plants, soil, insects, and other life forms.

Acid rain is especially damaging for aquatic habitats, like streams, ponds, lakes and rivers as it affects the organisms that live in the water. See our ocean acidification experiment with seashells.

Fish, and other aquatic animals and plants, are very sensitive to changes in the water’s pH. For example, at a pH of 5, fish eggs won’t hatch, which in turn affects other organisms that feed on them.

How can we reduce acid rain?

Using renewable energy, such as power from windmills , water, and the sun ( solar ), instead of fossil fuels helps reduce acid rain in the environment.

You can help too by reducing your energy use at home and at school. Turn off lights, computers, TVs, video games, and other electrical equipment when you’re not using them.

Get Your FREE Printable Acid Rain Project!

How To Set Up An Acid Rain Experiment

Let’s explore the effect of acid rain on the environment with this simple experiment. It’s a great hands-on STEM activity that is sure to get kids thinking.

This acid rain project asks a few questions!

• What is acid rain?
• What impact does acid rain have on the environment?

Let’s explore the answers together!

• 3 Containers

Instructions:

STEP 1: Add water to the three containers: the first one should be full, the second one half full, and the third one 1/4 full.

STEP 2: Add vinegar to the second two, enough in each so that all three containers are equally full.

STEP 3: Add a flower into each container and wait.

Observe them for 24 hours. What do you see happen?

Acid Rain Experiment Explanation

When you add vinegar to water, it lowers the pH and makes the solution acidic, similar to acid rain. Which flower looked the best after a day? You would have found that the flower sitting in the water with a neutral pH was the freshest.

What does acid rain do to plants? Acid rain may damage the leaves of trees and plants, making it harder for them to photosynthesis . It also changes the pH of the soil, dissolving essential minerals that the plants need to grow.

Turn It Into A Science Fair Project

Science projects are an excellent tool for older kiddos to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments, including classrooms, homeschools, and groups.

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these experiments into an awesome science fair project? Check out these helpful resources.

• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas
• Easy Science Fair Projects

More Environmental Science For Kids

Discover many fun and doable Earth Day activities for kids , including art and crafts, slime recipes, science experiments, and more. Like these ideas…

Explore the impact of stormwater runoff pollution for Earth Day.

Make this edible soil erosion model .

Explore ways to help the Earth by reducing your carbon footprint .

Learn about the effect of storms on coastal erosion and set up a beach erosion demonstration .

Here is a simple ocean science experiment you can set up with seashells in vinegar that explores the effect of ocean acidification.

Try this oil spill cleanup experiment to learn about ocean pollution right at home or in the classroom.

Printable Earth Day Activities Pack

40+ Earth Day science activities and STEM projects  for kids that are easy to set up and fit into your available time, even if it’s limited!

• Printable Earth Day theme STEM activities  that are simple but engaging for home or classroom. Perfect for K-2 and beyond but easily adaptable to many skill levels.
• Dive into simple background science explanations to share with kids. At the same time, kiddos can  explore hands-on and playful experiments, projects, and activities  such as cleaning up oil spills, exploring water filters, and more!
• Engaging Earth Day Enginers pack  with theme activities, journal pages, and design process steps! Learn about the design process and think like an engineer while you design and build a better recycling can and more!
• Easy to gather supplies  makes these STEM activities ideal when you have limited resources available. Specialty activities include  growing a grass head, making an insect hotel, DIY birdseed ornaments , and more!
• Additional STEM activities include a  recycling sort, brick-building ideas, puzzles, and screen-free coding activities .
• Earth Day Bingo Activity Pack is included as well.

How to Simulate Acid Rain

Last Updated: May 10, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA . Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 86,396 times.

Acid rain is the result of the pH of water in the sky dropping below 5.6. [1] X Research source This happens because of gases that are emitted into the environment and then trapped in the water, lowering the pH. You can simulate acid rain using various methods, but 2 experiments in particular allow you to simulate it easily, inexpensively, and quickly. In one, you can help children see how gases in the air combine with water to create an acid. In the other, you can show how acid rain affects the growth of plants and the environment. Both experiments help illustrate the effects of car emissions and acid rain on the environment.

Demonstrating Emissions-Based Acid Production

• Choose safety matches, which contain more sulfur and less phosphorus than other types. [2] X Research source Adult supervision is recommended while using the matches.
• Bromothymol blue is a solution that changes color when pH drops and can be purchased online.
• The small container can be glass or plastic as long as it is clear.

• 10 mL is about equal to 2 teaspoons. [3] X Research source
• When bromothymol blue comes into contact with an acid, the color of the solution turns yellow.

• With the lid on the jar you have trapped the carbon dioxide and sulfur gases produced by the matches. These gases are the same gases that get trapped in our atmosphere due to vehicle emissions.
• Have adult supervision during this step.

• Shake the jar to mix the gases from the matches with the bromothymol blue solution.

• If the water doesn’t turn yellow, you may need to burn more matches to trap more gas.
• Alternatively, you can use less water and try again.

Simulating the Environmental Effects of Acid Rain

• If you want to do this easily at home, you can use vinegar or lemon juice instead of sulfuric acid. You don’t need an eyedropper or pH meter if you use vinegar or lemon juice.

• Do not lean over or breathe in the acid.

• If you’re using pH strips, dip the strip into the water and wait until the strip changes color. Compare that color to the key to determine what the pH of your solution is. Keep checking the pH with a new strip each time until you get to 4.0.
• If you’re using vinegar/lemon juice, skip this step.

• Monitor the state of your plants over time, noting the effects on the plants.
• After a few days, you should notice that the plant sprayed with the acid rain develops brown/yellow leaves and is badly damaged compared to the plant with just distilled water. This shows the effect of acid rain on the environment.

Community Q&A

• Wear the appropriate safety gear – sealing goggles, chemical gloves with cuffs, a face shield, leather shoes and a chemical apron – when handling acids, and work with them only in well-ventilated environments. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
• Never work with acids when alone. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www3.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/phscale.html
• ↑ https://sciencing.com/match-head-made-of-5948585.html
• ↑ https://www.omnicalculator.com/conversion/ml-tsp-converter
• ↑ https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain

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See the effects of acid rain

Acid rain is created when the rain water becomes too acidic. This can be caused by the burning of fossil fuels non-renewable resources, such as oil and gas, that are burned for energy. When they are... More , which contain sulfur. When the sulfur is released into the air as sulfur dioxide, it can mix with the water in clouds and form an acid. For our experiment, we will simulate this with vinegar, a different acid. By spraying one plant with acid rain water (vinegar) and one plant with healthy rainwater (water) you will see why acid rain is so bad for our planet.

What do you expect to happen? Do you think the two plants will look different? What do you think the acid rain will do to the plant? Write down predictions before you start the experiment. 

• Level: Difficult
• Theme : Outdoor air quality
• Entry evidence: To get credit for this activity, take a picture of your plants and your log of observations and have a grown-up submit the challenge form . Complete 3 challenges and we will plant a tree.

Materials needed:

• Two small plants
• Two small plastic spray bottles of the same size
• One marker and some tape to label them with 
• Vinegar or lemon juice to make the acid rain

First you need to make your acid rain. Using the tape and marker, label one of the spray bottles “acid rain.” The ratio of the acid rain mixture will be 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. To make this, use a measuring cup to pour 100 ml of vinegar and 400 ml of water into a spray bottleLabel the other bottle “clean rainwater” and fill it with tap water.

Label one plant “clean rainwater” and the other plant “acid rain.” Set the plants next to each other near the window, so they get the same amount of sunlight.

Step three: Every 2-3 days, water the plant with its corresponding solution e.g. spray the acid rain solution on the plant labeled “acid rain” and the “clean rain”water on the other plant. Make sure to give both plants the same amount of liquid. 

*Note: the amount of water needed will depend on the type and size of your plants. The important thing is that both plants get the same amount of liquid.

Watch what happens to the plants over the next 2 weeks. Do you see any differences between the 2 plants? Keep a log and note changes. 

Write down what you see and when you see it.

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Science Fun

Acid Rain Ecology Science Experiment

In this fun and easy ecology science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate acid rain.

• Phenol red (this can be purchased at a pool store)

Instructions:

• Fill the glass about three quarters of the way full with water.
• Put about fifteen drop of phenol red into the water. 
• Put the straw in the water and blow for about twenty seconds.DO NOT DRINK THE WATER
• Check the water and observe any changes.
• Blow into the water again for twenty more seconds and observe any changes.

EXPLORE AWESOME SCIENCE EXPERIMENT VIDEOS!

How it Works:

The carbon dioxide in your breath formed a very weak acid. An acid will cause phenol red to become yellow. The carbon dioxide in your breath reacted with the phenol red causing it to change colors and demonstrating that when we put too much carbon dioxide in the air, it can become acidic and pollute the moisture in the air that becomes rain.

Make This A Science Project:

Try adding vinegar to the phenol red and water mixture. Try leaving a stalk of celery in the phenol red and water mixture. Try adding baking soda to the phenol red and water mixture. 

EXPLORE TONS OF FUN AND EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!

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previous experiment

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FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Acid Rain Effects

Hands-on Activity Acid Rain Effects

Grade Level: 6 (5-6)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $2.00

Group Size: 4

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Chemistry

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

• Acid and Base Rainbows
• Is That Legal? A Case of Acid Rain
• The Effects of Acid Rain
• Visual Literacy: Tears in Acid Rain

TE Newsletter

Engineering connection, learning objectives, materials list, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, introduction/motivation, troubleshooting tips, activity extensions, activity scaling, user comments & tips.

Acid rain is a complex environmental problem that concerns many environmental and chemical engineers. When engineers examine the acid rain damage to water, wildlife, forests, crops and structures, they consider the impact on human health. Engineers design many useful technologies that help industry reduce the amount of harmful pollutants released into our air. Engineers also help to develop laws that prevent or limit factories and industries from burning fossil fuels (which release pollutants), or require them to minimize their pollutant output.

After this activity, students should be able to:

• Discuss how engineers are working to prevent pollution and acid rain.
• Use an indicator to differentiate between acidic, basic and neutral solutions.
• Use their observations to describe the cause-effect relationship of acid rain.
• Observe and describe some of the harmful effects of acid rain on living and non-living items.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

Common Core State Standards - Math

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

State standards, colorado - math.

Each group needs:

• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup distilled water
• 2 medium-sized eggshell pieces
• 2 small green leaves
• 2 paperclips
• 2 small- or medium-sized glass jars
• masking tape and pen (for labeling containers)
• two 1.5-inch strips of wide-range (0-14 pH) litmus paper; since groups need to use the comparison chart included with the litmus container, obtain enough dispensers for each group to have one; litmus paper is available from chemistry supply companies (such as Fisher) and well-equipped hardware stores.
• Acid Rain Effects Worksheet , 1 per student (for recording data and answering questions)

Acid rain is an environmental problem that concerns many environmental and chemical engineers. Engineers are always considering the possible effects of acid rain on the health of humans and the environment when they investigate damage to bodies of water, wildlife, forests and crops, and contamination of the drinking water supply.

Acid rain is defined as any form of wet precipitation (rain, snow, fog, dew or sleet) that has a pH less than 5.6 (on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral). Large quantities can also be deposited in a dry form through dust. Acid rain is more acidic than normal rain and forms through a complex process of chemical reactions involving air pollution and water molecules in the air. The two most important pollutants that contribute to the formation of acid rain are nitrogen and sulfur compounds, which react with moisture in the atmosphere to form nitric and sulfuric acid.

The sulfur and nitrogen compounds that contribute to acid rain primarily come from combustion products (burning coal and oil) from large industrial and utility sites. Emissions also come from automobiles and other forms of transportation, and other industrial processes.

The effects of acid rain may not be immediately apparent. For example, at a glance, a lake might look clear and beautiful, but a closer look may reveal few living organisms. Some species of fish cannot survive in water with a pH of less than 5. Clams, snails, crayfish and other crustaceans, brook trout, walleyed pike and bullfrogs are especially sensitive to acid in their water supply. Thus, the pH does not have to decrease very much before fish cannot survive. Insects, birds and mammals are also highly affected by acid rain. Acid rain can alter soil chemistry, nutrient availability and plant growth. In their weakened condition, trees and shrubs become vulnerable to insects, diseases and fungus infestations. For more information, see the Acid Deposition Reading and Approximate pH of Common Substances References Sheet .

One way that we can help prevent acid rain is by burning less fossil fuel. Some types of industries that burn a lot of coal and oil include large power plants, and paper and wood processing plants. Engineers have helped to develop laws that prevent or limit large factories and industries from burning fossil fuels or that require them to minimize their pollutant output. Engineers have also developed many useful technologies to help industry reduce the harmful pollutants in the air, but the companies must adhere to the laws and use these technologies.

Before the Activity

• Practice this activity at home prior to using it in your classroom.
• Gather materials and make copies of the Acid Rain Effects Worksheet .

With the Students

• Divide the class into groups of four students each.
• Distribute supplies to each group.
• Ask students to use the pH paper to measure the pH of the vinegar and the distilled water, and record it on their worksheets.
• Ask the students to make some predictions. If vinegar contains acid (acetic acid), then how will the items placed in vinegar change? If these items are placed in water, will they change in the same ways as in the vinegar?
• Have students use masking tape and pens to label one jar "vinegar" and the other one "water."
• Pour 1 cup of vinegar into the vinegar jar. Place a paperclip, piece of eggshell and a green leaf in the vinegar. Put the lid on the container.
• Pour 1 cup of distilled water into the water jar. Place a paperclip, piece of eggshell and a green leaf in the distilled water. Put the lid on the container.
• Let the jars sit overnight on a windowsill or protected area.
• The next day, remove the container lids. Observe any changes in the condition of the items in the jars. Ask students to write their observations on their worksheets. (Expected results: In the water containers, the items show no noticeable changes. In the vinegar jars, the eggshells are soft, the leaf may have brown spots [this may take a few days], and the paperclip shows no noticeable changes.)
• After one week, look for more changes. Make observations again, as often as you wish.
• Direct students to complete the questions on their worksheets and/or discuss as a class.

Pre-Activity Assessment

Prediction : Using the Acid Rain Effects Worksheet , ask students to record some predictions. If vinegar contains acid (acetic acid), how will the items placed in vinegar change? If these items are placed in water, will they change in the same ways as in vinegar?

Activity Embedded Assessment

Observations : Using the Acid Rain Effects Worksheet , ask students to record their observations of what happens to the items after one day and one week.

Worksheet : Ask students to complete the questions on their Acid Rain Effects Worksheets . You may wish to discuss some of these as a class.

Post-Activity Assessment

It's a Community Issue! : Ask students to write a detailed description of how acid rain would affect their world. For example, the tree on the playground, the pencil they use, a local crop or a local park, etc.

Safety Issues

Remind students not to taste the "acid rain" even though it is made of vinegar.

Allow at least 24- 48 hours for the effects of the vinegar to appear in the leaf and eggshell.

Look at photographs on the Internet or in books/magazines that show evidence of damage due to acid rain. Discuss the general and specific types of damage to living and non-living things.

If you know of physical evidence of acid rain in your community, arrange a field trip to see and examine it.

Observe the effects of acid rain on living plants. Water a control plant with distilled water and the other with vinegar water (1 tablespoon vinegar per 1 cup distilled water). You can also water them both with distilled water and spritz them with distilled water or vinegar water to more accurately simulate rain. Discuss/explore materials that could be added to the soil to counteract the effects of the acid rain.

Try the vinegar experiment with a whole, raw egg, or a piece of chalk.

Make a third solution (perhaps of lemon juice or a vinegar/water mix) and compare/rank the results or make a bar graph.

Have students read and discuss the Acid Deposition Reading .

• While this activity is appropriate for all grade levels, for lower grades, consider observing and discussing the effects as a class. Encourage students to draw pictures of the results (and for assessment).
• For upper grades, have students measure a precise volume of vinegar and water.
• For upper grades, ask students to use graph paper (this may be easier with irregular shapes), or measure length and width to determine the area of the eggshell and leaf.
• For upper grades, have students measure the mass of the eggshell, leaf and paperclip before and after the experiment.

Students are introduced to acids and bases, and the environmental problem of acid rain. Students also conduct a simple experiment to model and discuss the harmful effects of acid rain on our living and non-living environment.

Students are introduced to the differences between acids and bases and how to use indicators, such as pH paper and red cabbage juice, to distinguish between them. They learn why it is important for engineers to understand acids and bases.

Students are introduced to the primary types of erosion—chemical, water, wind, glacier and temperature. Students investigate examples of each erosion type and discuss how erosion changes the surface of the Earth.

Students are introduced to the concepts of air pollution, air quality, and climate change. The three lesson parts (including the associated activities) focus on the prerequisites for understanding air pollution. First, students use M&M® candies to create pie graphs that express their understanding o...

Air Quality, Project A.I.R.E. (Air Information Resource for Educators). Last updated on October 15, 2002. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed October 31, 2004. Originally found at: http://www.epa.gov/region01/students/teacher/airqual.html

Investigations in Science – Ecology . Huntington Beach, CA: Creative Teaching Press, 1995.

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: May 21, 2021

The Effect of Acid Rain on Bean Germination and Growth

THE EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN ON BEAN GERMINATION AND GROWTH BLOG

STUDENT PEN NAMES:   Littleperm, Evergreen7, Deadtrees, Nitro21

ASPIRE MENTORS:  Matt Gilbert   

OBSERVATIONS: Our group is concerned about the health of the planet.  We talked about pollution and global warming and wanted to learn more.  In Fort Nelson we have in-days at school during lunch time because it is too cold, but in China they have in-days when the air is not safe to breathe.  Clearly there is a huge problem. Acid Rain is a problem caused by pollution from factories and vehicles.  We wanted to see the effects of acid rain on seeds and plants. Below are some of the sites we used to research Acid Rain and pH. QUESTION:  How does acid rain affect the germination and growth of green bean seeds?

HYPOTHESIS:  From our research we found out that acid rain has a pH of approximately 5.6.  Therefore we think that some of the bean seeds will be able to germinate with water at a pH level of 5, but will sprout and grow at a slower rate. We believe bean seeds watered with anything under a pH 4 rating will not germinate or grow.

EXPERIMENT: 1. Gather materials. (bean seeds, vinegar, distilled water, pH strips, beakers, ruler, plastic pipettes) 2. Mix 900 millilitres of distilled water and 300 millilitres of vinegar to make your first solution 1200 milliliteres. Use the pH strips to test the pH level (this solution should be about a 3 on the pH scale) 3. Take about 90 milliliters of your initial solution and mix it with 810 millilitres of distilled water. The solutions should all be about 1 level more then the solution before it. Make as many as you need. (This solution should be about a 4 on the pH scale) If you need to add distilled water to your solution to raise the pH do so) 4.  Now repeat step 3 to get your third solution, but remember to start by taking 1/10th of the second solution. (This solution should be about a 5 on the pH scale) 5. Have a separate solution of just distilled water to serve as your control for this experiment. 6.  We also were curious to see how plants germinated in tap water since this is what most people in Fort Nelson would be using for watering purposes.  (our tap water had a pH of about 6.7) 7.  Now you are ready to move on to germinating the bean seeds.

Set-up: Stage One

1. Count out 50 green beans, 50 Ziplock bags, and 50 paper towels / napkins. 2.  Label 10 bags for each pH with the sharpie. (We chose pH 3, pH 4, pH 5, Distilled water (which had a pH of about 5.7) and tap water with a pH of 6.7. 3.  Place one green bean in a paper towel  and one napkin in each ziplock bag. 4. Add the correct solution in each bag, using a clean “small” test tube for each solution. The paper towel should be mostly damp, if the solution is collecting at the bottom of the bag, then you have too much of the solution, likewise, if the napkin is too dry, then you have added to little of the solution. 5. Place all the bags in a dark, warm place. 6.   Now every three days, take them out of the bag and measure the length of growth. Record your data on your data sheets.

Set-up: Stage Two 1. Take 5 of your 10 seeds that have germinated and plant them in soil. Use a mixture of germination soil and potting soil. 2.  Place the planted seeds in a window.

Experimental Design: The constants in this study are: We used the same kind of bean seeds and distilled water The way we germinated the seeds (the number of paper towels, amount of water, bags, environment) The way we planted seeds, watered the dirt and leaves, measuring techniques, environment)

The manipulated variable or independent variable was the pH concentration of the water the plants and seeds were watered with.

The responding variable or dependent variable was the root growth while germination and the height or growth of the plant once it was planted in the soil.

Figure 3. Measuring and watering

Figure 4. Measuring seed germination using a string to accurately measure the length of growth.

Five of the 10  germinating bean seeds from each pH level  were planted on April 26th. They were watered with the previously prepared pH levels. Pictures taken on April 29th.

Figure 5.  Germinated Seeds were planted on April 26th and placed in the window. This photo was taken on April 29th.

CONCLUSION:  

The purpose of our   investigation was to determine the effect of acid rain on the germination and growth of green bean seeds.  We hypothesized that  some of the bean seeds would be able to germinate with water at a pH level of 5, but would germinate at a slower rate and would grow at a slower rate. We believe bean seeds watered with anything under pH 4 concentration would not germinate or grow.

Future Investigations:

If we were to do this investigation again we would make it into two separate experiments: Experiment 1 : Effects of Acid Rain on Seed Germination and,  Experiment 2 : Effects of Acid Rain on Plant Growth.

We were curious to see how well the germinated seeds would grow in soil…but we should have been more careful in choosing the seeds because, as Matthew mentioned we ended up removing some of the best growing individuals from the germination groups (see table 4) which may have influenced our results.

GREAT RESOURCES Acid Rain – National Geographic This is a great resource. Both Matt and Evergreen7 gives it two thumbs up! Acid Rain: Chemistry for all.  The Fuse School-Youtube Learn the basics about Acid Rain by watching this Youtube video.

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What is the effect of acid rain on plant growth?

Introduction: (initial observation).

Many damages to the plants, buildings and other structures are contributed to the acid rain. Acid rain is relatively a new phenomena because it is caused by gases from burning coal and natural oil. You may have noticed that the air is cleaner and fresher after a rain. Have you wondered what happens to the fumes and gases and particles in the air during a rain. They are all washed by the rain. The highest amount of such pollutants are absorbed by the rain drops in the first few minutes of a heavy rain.

When gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen oxide (NO and NO2) are absorbed by the rain, they are converted to sulfurous acid and nitrous and nitric acids. That is what we call acid rain.

In this project we will study the effect of acid rain on plants..

This project guide contains information that you need in order to start your project. If you have any questions or need more support about this project, click on the “Ask Question” button on the top of this page to send me a message.

If you are new in doing science project, click on “How to Start” in the main page. There you will find helpful links that describe different types of science projects, scientific method, variables, hypothesis, graph, abstract and all other general basics that you need to know.

Project advisor

Information Gathering:

Find out about acid rains and their effect on the environment. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about the effect of acid rain on plants. Keep track of where you got your information from.

Following are samples of information you may find:

As the name suggests, acid rain is just rain which is acidic. The rain becomes acidic because of gases which dissolve in the rain water to form various acids.

About 70 percent of acid rain comes from sulfur dioxide (SO2), which dissolves into the water to form sulfurous acid with formula H2SO3.

Source: http://www.maltaweather.info/pollution.html

Acid rain is rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic . It has harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infastructure. Acid rain is mostly caused by human emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds which react in the atmosphere to produce acids. In recent years, many governments have introduced laws to reduce these emissions.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rain

What is acid rain?

The term “acid rain” is commonly used to mean the deposition of acidic components in rain, snow, fog, dew, or dry particles. The more accurate term is “acid precipitation.” Distilled water, which contains no carbon dioxide, has a neutral pH of 7. Liquids with a pH less than 7 are acid, and those with a pH greater than 7 are alkaline (or basic). “Clean” or unpolluted rain has a slightly acidic pH of 5.6, because carbon dioxide and water in the air react together to form carbonic acid, a weak acid. Around Washington, D.C., however, the average rain pH is between 4.2 and 4.4.

Source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/acidrain/2.html

Acid Precipitation

Rain is naturally acidic as a result of the reaction of water vapor, carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the atmosphere. The acidity can increase through the intro­duction of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. This can occur nat­urally from vegetation decay, volcanic eruptions, or even sea spray. The primary human contributions stem from fossil fuel combustion, particularly from electric power plants and automobile exhaust.

The term “acid rain” is used most often, but “acid precipitation” is more accurate since it can also reach the ground as dry particles in dust and smoke.

Source: http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/2.html

Which seeds are good for this experiment?

Beans and other legumes are a good choice of seeds for this experiment. They are widely available and you may already have them at home. Bellow is a list:

•Adzuki Beans •Black Beans •Black-eyed peas •Broad Beans (Fava Beans) •Butter Beans •Calico Beans •Cannellini Beans •Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) •Edamame •Great Northern Beans •Italian Beans •Kidney Beans •Lentils •Lima Beans •Mung Beans •Navy Beans •Pinto Beans •Soy Beans, including black soy beans •Split Peas •White Beans

Do not touch the seeds by bare hand.

Doing this may contaminate the seeds and affect their germination and growth.

Question/ Purpose:

What do you want to find out? Write a statement that describes what you want to do. Use your observations and questions to write the statement.

The purpose of this project is to see how acid rain affects the growth of certain plants.

I became interested in this idea while looking for a project in the environmental science. I noticed that EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has lots of introductory information in their website that can help me start.

The information gained from this project may be used as a warning to prevent acid rains or prevent its harmful effects.

Identify Variables:

When you think you know what variables may be involved, think about ways to change one at a time. If you change more than one at a time, you will not know what variable is causing your observation. Sometimes variables are linked and work together to cause something. At first, try to choose variables that you think act independently of each other.

This is a sample of how you may define the variables:

The independent variable (also known as manipulated variable) is the frequency of acid rain. Possible values are: 33% of the times, 66% of the times, 100% of the times.

The dependent variable (also known as responding variable) is the growth of each plant. Also observe and record other conditions of plant including to color of leaves and visual health of the plant). Use a centimeter ruler to measure the plant growth (responding variable), which is the height of the plant.

Control variables are temperature and light. Make sure all plants are grown under the same environmental conditions.

The constants in this study are:

*The type of plant tested. *The amount of water each day. *The amount of soil in each pot. *The type of soil in each plant. *The size of the pot. *The shape of the pot.

Hypothesis:

Based on your gathered information, make an educated guess about what types of things affect the system you are working with. Identifying variables is necessary before you can make a hypothesis.

My hypothesis is that plants watered with acid solution grow slower than plants watered with regular water.

I base my hypothesis on pictures [See Pictures] of plants claimed to be damaged by acid rain.

Experiment Design:

Design an experiment to test each hypothesis. Make a step-by-step list of what you will do to answer each question. This list is called an experimental procedure. For an experiment to give answers you can trust, it must have a “control.” A control is an additional experimental trial or run. It is a separate experiment, done exactly like the others. The only difference is that no experimental variables are changed. A control is a neutral “reference point” for comparison that allows you to see what changing a variable does by comparing it to not changing anything. Dependable controls are sometimes very hard to develop. They can be the hardest part of a project. Without a control you cannot be sure that changing the variable causes your observations. A series of experiments that includes a control is called a “controlled experiment.”

Experiment 1: How do acidic solutions affect plant growth?

Introduction: For this project we spray the plants with our home made acid rain and regular rain. For acid rain you may use vinegar. Vinegar is easily accessible to most students.

If you do have access to the sulfuric acid * and pH paper * , you may make a more realistic acid rain. To do that fill up a plastic container with about half gallon tap water. Then use a dropper to add sulfuric acid one drop at a time to the water and mix by swirling until the pH of acid is about 3.

* Sulfuric acid is also known as battery acid for cars and is available trough auto part stores. Both sulfuric acid and pH paper are also available from ChemicalStore.com.

• Fill each pot to the top with the potting soil.
• Label 3 pots as Control. (You will water these with clean water)
• Label 3 pots as low acid. (You will water these two days with clean water and one day with acid rain)
• Label 3 pots as medium acid. (You will water these one day with clean water and two days with acid rain)
• Label 3 pots as high acid. (You will water these only with acid rain)
• Place two seeds into slightly moist soil in each pot.
• Water the seeds and soil with clean water.
• Place all pots under a source of light. (Natural light or fluorescent light)
• Every day, water with clean water and place in the light.
• Repeat providing light and daily watering with clean water until each plant has fully expanded a pair of leaves. (Too much water can damage the seeds. Give enough water to keep the soil moist, not soaked). When all plants have at least one pair of leaves you can start the main part of your experiment to see how acid rain affect their growth. That will be the first day of your experiment. All you have done before this were just preparations. Some students may skip the preparation part and just buy 12 small plants from a local nursery.
• Pour 1 liter of distilled water into one of the empty spray bottles. Label the bottle as CLEAN RAIN.
• Pour 1 liter of vinegar or other home-made acid rain in another bottle. Label the bottle as ACID RAIN.
• Use the following watering schedule to water the pots of each group with pure water and acid rain. In order to prevent cross contamination, you may temporarily separate the pots from the rest of group for watering and put them back after watering.
• Repeat steps 15-18 until obvious results.

Watering Schedule after growing two leaves in all pots:

15. In each daily observation record the plant height, record the visible health condition of the plant and possibly take a picture to show the negative effects of acid rain. 16. Every day calculate the average plant height of each group and write them in your results table like this:

Average Plant heights in different groups

Materials and Equipment:

This is a sample list of materials. Your final list of materials may be different. 12  Plastic pots 4    Spray bottles 1     pH metercfr or pH paper 2    Eye droppers 4    Liters of distilled water 1     Marking pen 8    Marking pen 1     Source of light 1     Bag of Potting soil 1     Bottle of lemon Juice 24  Seeds (Beans and other legumes)

Results of Experiment (Observation):

Experiments are often done in series. A series of experiments can be done by changing one variable a different amount each time. A series of experiments is made up of separate experimental “runs.” During each run you make a measurement of how much the variable affected the system under study. For each run, a different amount of change in the variable is used. This produces a different amount of response in the system. You measure this response, or record data, in a table for this purpose. This is considered “raw data” since it has not been processed or interpreted yet. When raw data gets processed mathematically, for example, it becomes results.

In your results write what happened to the plants watered with regular water and what happened to the plants watered with acidic water. You can also use your results table to draw a graph. The following sample graph is for a similar experiment in which one group only received clean water the other group only received acidic water. (The accuracy of this graph has not been verified. Your results may be different).

Calculations:

If you do any calculations, write your calculations in this section of your report.

Summary of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to answer your original questions. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did.

Related Questions & Answers:

What you have learned may allow you to answer other questions. Many questions are related. Several new questions may have occurred to you while doing experiments. You may now be able to understand or verify things that you discovered when gathering information for the project. Questions lead to more questions, which lead to additional hypothesis that need to be tested.

This is a sample:

• What would happen if I would use less acidic water?
• What would happen if I would use a different plant?
• What would happen If I would use a different type of acid?

If I were to conduct this project again I would probably add less acid to that solution and I would also test more plants.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References/ Bibliography:

List your References in this part of your report.

http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects/index.html , US EPA, Last updated on Friday, June 8th, 2007

http://www.maltaweather.info/pollution.html , Malta Weather Services 2003

http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_kids/index.htm , US EPA

“Acid Rain,” Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995

“Acid Rain,” Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia, 2000

Brooks, John “Acid Rain” Chicago, Illinois, 1997 pp. 2-37

Likens, Gene E. “Acid Rain,” World Book Encyclopedia, 1991 Vol. 1 p. 27

Sample Research Report, by Eric D. 11 years old, 1999-2000

This report has not been verified for accuracy and validity of its content. It is provided as is. Students must make their own reports.

Introduction Acid Rain is the common name for acid deposition, such as rain, snow, sleet, hail, and other forms of polluted precipitation. Acid deposition is a worldwide problem for all natural things including bodies of water, forests, and other things. Pollution is the cause of all acid deposition.

Cause There are many types of pollution that cause acid precipitation. A big one is cars and their exhaust. The usage and burning of fuel and oil creates a lot of exhaust. Another big pollution problem is factories and refineries that burn fuel, oil, and coal. Then certain chemical compounds, including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, from fossil fuels, rise and mix with water vapor, and falls in a form of precipitation. As factories have been getting more and taller smokestacks, Acid precipitation has been moving more around the world. Acid precipitation is worst in eastern North America, Northwestern and Central Europe, throughout Asia, and other scattered places around the World. As more factories and refineries are built, and the smokestacks get taller, the wind blows the polluted air to other countries, sometimes hundreds of miles away.

The pH Level Acid rain’s acid level is measured by the pH level. The scale is measured on a 1-14 number scale, 1 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. A 7 is not either acidic nor alkaline, being known as distilled water. To measure the pH level of acid precipitation, scientists use a pH meter or a pH paper. On average, a normal pH level for acid precipitation is around 5.6. The more pollution in the atmosphere, the more acidic the acid precipitation is going to be. Depending on the pH level, acid precipitation can do a lot of damage.

Effects The effects of Acid precipitation are getting worse as more cars are manufactured and sold to the public and as more factories are built and opened for people to work in. Acid precipitation harms thousands of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams worldwide. Depending on the pH level, acid precipitation could kill and damage almost all of the aquatic life, including the animals, plants, and all of the other living things in that body of water. The acid rain also kills everything around that body of water, including the trees, bushes and the grass around the surface of the water. Some scientists also believe that Acid Rain does damage to stone buildings and stone statues. They believe it erodes away the stone. Acid shock is a very interesting form of the acidifying of a body of water. It happens during the spring. The acid snow melts and flows into a body of water. Its called acid shock because it turns a normal lake or other body of water into a very acidic body of water in a very short amount of time.

Prevention There are not very many ways to prevent acid rain and other acid precipitation. Scientists are trying to think of more ways to prevent acid precipitation. There are already a few methods of cleaning up the atmosphere, including cutting back on fuel, oil, and coal burning. Some factories throughout the world have coal washers. That prevents air pollution, but the water from the coal gets dumped into a sewer and creates more sewage problems. There have been several attempts to stop local factories by people in the past, but then realized they couldn’t live because the factories provided warmth and electricity, so they couldn’t shut them down. After people got taller smokestacks, the pollution was getting better there, but worse in other countries. The reason is the wind blew the clouds hundreds of miles away. Also, some people have tried to stop driving as much, but at the end, everybody was driving again, doing just as much of it as they were before if not more. The pollution would be less in that area, but worse in other areas, so the people in that area would drive more, thinking its okay.

Summary Acid Rain and all other acid precipitation are a world wide problem. Even in areas with out the factories and vehicles have acid precipitation because the wind blows the pollution to other parts of the world. The main causes of acid precipitation are cars and their exhaust and the other is factories and the burning of fossil fuels. Certain chemical compounds such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide mix with the moisture in the air and are formed into clouds and then produce acid precipitation. To measure the acid level of acid precipitation, scientists use either a pH meter or a pH paper. The scale is on a 1-14 scale, 1 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. The average acid level is around 5.6. Depending on the pH level acid precipitation can do a lot of damage. The effects of acid precipitation are getting worse as more cars and factories are made. Acid precipitation is damaging thousands of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams worldwide. There aren’t many forms of prevention, but the best form of stopping air pollution is washing the coal before it is burned. The con to that is the remains of dirty water from the coal is dumped and it causes more sewage problems.

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Acid rain and seed germination.

In this lab, students will use pH sensors to determine the effect of acid rain on the germination of bean seeds.

Grade Level: Middle School

Subject: Life Science

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What are the effects of acid rain? | 11-14 years

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Try this lesson plan for 11–14 year olds to investigate the effects of acid rain on metals and carbonate rocks through field work and an experiment

Source: © Shutterstock

Acid rain damage to the limestone walls of a church in Italy.

Students work in a small team to explore the effects of acid rain. There is an experimental investigation followed up with a short field work task to identify and record evidence of the effects of acid rain in their local environment. These tasks provide a focus for students’ thinking, discussion and action that will develop investigation and group work skills. The tasks will take a number of weeks to complete.

Learning objectives

Students will:

• Recognise the effects of acid rain on metals and carbonate rocks.
• Be able to make careful observations over a period of time.

Sequence of activities

Introduction.

• Show a photograph, using a data projector if available, of a building affected by acid rain. (If a piece of stone from such a structure is available, passing this round the class will be even more striking.)
• Share the learning objectives with the students.
• Explain that they are going to be working in groups of four over an extended period to find out about the effects of acid rain in the laboratory and in the local environment.

Experimental investigation: stage 1

• Arrange students in groups of four.
• Give each student a copy of the ‘Activity sheet’.
• Outline the first task which is to plan an investigation in the laboratory to find out how acid rain affects certain rocks and metal over a period of three weeks.
• Display a list of the materials available to students (also on the ‘Activity sheet’).

Experimental investigation: stage 2

Support students while they:

• Produce their own individual plan.
• Share their ideas with the other three members of the group.
• Agree a joint plan.

Questions are given on the ‘Activity sheet’ to help these discussions.

For each group:

• Check their ideas.
• Help them develop their ideas further if necessary.

Ask questions that focus thinking on ideas such as fair testing, change over time, recording observations effectively, sharing observations within the group, an appropriate risk assessment.

Experimental investigation: stage 3

Arrange for laboratory time for the three week period for the tests and for storage of equipment between observations. Support and monitor the tests over the three week period.

Field work: stage 1

Circulate and support students while they:

• Reconvene in their groups.
• Brainstorm ideas for places to seek evidence of the effect of acid rain in the environment.
• Develop their ideas further, if necessary.

Ask questions such as ’Which local buildings are very old?’, ’Do we have any statues in our neighbourhood?’ and ‘Where might metal be exposed to rain?’.

Check at the end of this session that all groups have some ideas that are likely to result in them finding useful evidence.

Field work: stage 2

• Reconvene in their groups in a later session.
• Share their ideas about places with each other.
• Share ideas between groups if some have not completed this part of their work effectively.

Discuss the availability of digital cameras from home and/or school to help record evidence.

Set clear deadlines for collecting evidence.

Presentation preparation

Support groups as they:

• Collate and analyse the data from their laboratory tests and the evidence collected from the local environment.
• Plan what they are going to include and who is going to make what contribution to the project.
• Produce a poster or an ICT presentation.

Presentation and plenary

• Arrange a ‘grand finale’ for this extended piece of work in which groups showcase their posters or give their ICT presentations.
• Ask each group to write down one feature which they liked about other posters or presentations and one way in which they think they could be made even better.
• In a plenary, use the groups’ comments to draw up a class view of what makes a good poster or presentation.

Graphic examples of acid rain effects will illuminate the learning objectives.

The evaluation of ideas, through working in a team, stimulates students to think about their ideas more thoroughly. Collaboration skills are also developed, not only by the group work but by students specifically reviewing their input.

Comments on the final presentations lead students to recognise the standards they are aiming for.

Practical notes

For the experimental investigation:.

• Solution of 0.005 mol dm -3 sulfuric acid (IRRITANT) labelled ‘Acid Rain’
• lime-cemented sandstone, eg Cotswold type
• Small containers for the test materials which can be kept over a three week period
• Plastic pipettes for adding drops of acid rain to rocks and metals
• Hand lenses
• Labels or pen to identify test materials
• Access to a digital camera if available

For the posters:

• Felt tip pens

To produce digital presentations:

• Access to laptops or a computer suite

Health, safety and technical notes

• Read our standard health and safety guidance .
• It is the responsibility of the teacher to carry out an appropriate risk assessment.

 Principal hazard

• Sulfuric acid

Plan for the investigation

• Label eight Petri dishes one to eight. Pour a small amount of ‘acid rain’ into each. Mark the level of the acid rain with a felt tip pen.
• Write a key to identify the following different substances: chalk, marble, slate, lime‑cemented sandstone, iron, copper, zinc, lead.
• Place a sample of each substance in a separate dish so that part of it is in the acid rain and part is not.
• Make a note of what happens as soon as a material is added to the acid rain.
• Store the dishes for a week.
• At the end of the week, examine each substance and make a note of any changes before returning it to the acid rain. Add water to the acid rain to bring it up to the original level.
• At the end of the second week examine each substance and make a note of any changes before returning it to the acid rain. Add water to the acid rain to bring it up to the original level.
• At the end of the third week examine each substance and make a note of any changes.

Suggested table

Headings should include: ‘Substance’, ‘Behaviour when first added to acid rain’, ’Changes at end of first week’, ‘Changes at end of second week’, and ‘Changes at end of third week’.

Primary teaching notes

If you teach primary science, see the headings below to find out how to use this resource:

Skill development

Children will develop their working scientifically skills by:

• Carrying out comparative and fair tests.
• Drawing conclusions and raising further questions that could be investigated, based on their data and observations.
• Using appropriate scientific language and ideas to explain, evaluate and communicate their methods and findings.

Learning outcomes

Children will:

• Compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties.

Concepts supported

Children will learn:

• That different rock types have different properties, many as a result of how they were formed.
• That weathering affects rocks differently based on their properties.

Suggested activity use

The activity could be carried out as a whole class investigation, with the children working in small groups to carry out each task. The investigation could take up to 3 weeks to complete.

Practical considerations

Children may need to recap prior knowledge of the types of rocks, as well as how the process of weathering affects them differently.

You will need to identify local buildings and landmarks that show signs of weathering before the investigation. It may also be useful to provide children with images of these buildings and landmarks.

The investigation will take 3 weeks to complete, as children will need to make careful observations of their samples over this period of time.

Sulfuric acid can be difficult for primary schools to source, and may not pass a risk assessment for use in a primary environment. An alternative such as white vinegar may need to be sourced.

Finally, different rocks and metal samples will be needed for the acid rain test.

What are the effects of acid rain? Activity sheet

Additional information.

This lesson plan was originally part of the  Assessment for Learning  website, published in 2008.

Assessment for Learning is an effective way of actively involving students in their learning.  Each session plan comes with suggestions about how to organise activities and worksheets that may be used with students

• 11-14 years
• Practical experiments
• Formative assessment 
• Lesson planning
• Acids and bases
• Environmental science

Specification

• Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen cause respiratory problems in humans and cause acid rain.
• 8.12 Explain some problems associated with acid rain caused when sulfur dioxide dissolves in rain water
• 2H⁺(aq) + CO₃²⁻(aq) → H₂O(l) + CO₂(g) for aqueous metal carbonates
• (g) the environmental effects and consequences of the emission of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuels
• 2.5.28 demonstrate knowledge that the combustion of fuels is a major source of atmospheric pollution due to: combustion of hydrocarbons producing carbon dioxide, which leads to the greenhouse effect causing sea level rises, flooding and climate change;…
• 2.5.26 demonstrate knowledge that the combustion of fuels is a major source of atmospheric pollution due to: combustion of hydrocarbons producing carbon dioxide, which leads to the greenhouse effect causing sea level rises, flooding and climate change…
• 1. Describe the cycling of matter, including that of carbon and water, associating it with biological and atmospheric phenomena.
• 8. Investigate reactions between acids and bases; use indicators and the pH scale

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Shop Experiment Acid Rain Experiments​

Experiment #22 from Chemistry with Vernier

Introduction

In this experiment, you will observe the formation of four acids that occur in acid rain:

• carbonic acid, H 2 CO 3
• nitrous acid, HNO 2
• nitric acid, HNO 3
• sulfurous acid, H 2 SO 3

Carbonic acid occurs when carbon dioxide gas dissolves in rain droplets of unpolluted air:

Nitrous acid and nitric acid result from a common air pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ). Most nitrogen dioxide in our atmosphere is produced from automobile exhaust. Nitrogen dioxide gas dissolves in rain drops and forms nitrous and nitric acid:

Sulfurous acid is produced from another air pollutant, sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). Most sulfur dioxide gas in the atmosphere results from burning coal containing sulfur impurities. Sulfur dioxide dissolves in rain drops and forms sulfurous acid:

In the procedure outlined below, you will first produce these three gases. You will then bubble the gases through water, producing the acids found in acid rain. The acidity of the water will be monitored with a pH Sensor.

In this experiment, you will

• Generate three gaseous oxides, CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO 2 .
• Simulate the formation of acid rain by bubbling each of the three gases into water and producing three acidic solutions.
• Measure the pH of the three resulting acidic solutions to compare their relative strengths.

Sensors and Equipment

This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.

Ready to Experiment?

Ask an expert.

Get answers to your questions about how to teach this experiment with our support team.

• Call toll-free: 888-837-6437
• Chat with Us
• Email [email protected]

Purchase the Lab Book

This experiment is #22 of Chemistry with Vernier . The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.

Foliar application of Azospirillum brasilense, salicylic acid and zinc on wheat Performance under rain–fed condition

• Original Article
• Published: 24 August 2024

Cite this article

• Mohammad Javad Zarea   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1913-5194 1  

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Contribution of plant growth-promoting bacteria to plant gene function, regulation, and modulation may open a new window of hope to improve plant performance in harsh environments. In a preliminary study, Azospirillum brasilense strain Sp7 has been studied for its regulatory role in molecular, biochemical, and physiological processes in wheat exposed to terminal severe drought stress. Moreover, two field experiments were conducted to elucidate the effectiveness of A. brasilense inoculation, salicylic acid, and zinc foliar application on wheat performance under dryland (rain–fed) conditions. In the preliminary experiment, wheat seedlings that were foliarly inoculated with and without A. brasilense were grown under well-watered conditions for four weeks and then exposed to two water regimes: well-watered and drought-stressed conditions. The preliminary experiment aimed to elucidate the changes in proline accumulation, chlorophyll contents, leaf relative water levels, malondialdehyde contents, electrolyte leakage rate, and also quantified the genes associated with proline biosynthesis and the psbA gene (encoding photosystem II protein D1) under drought stress conditions mediated by A. brasilense inoculation. The field experiment was conducted under two contrasting field conditions to elucidate the efficacy of A. brasilense inoculation via foliar application in combination with exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) and foliar application of Zn on two winter wheat cultivars, Sardari ( Triticum aestivum L.) and Saji ( Triticum durum L.). Two weeks after drought imposition, foliar Azospirillum -inoculated plants exhibited lower levels of psbA gene expression than uninoculated plants. As the drought progressed, inoculated plants significantly exhibited a higher amount of psbA mRNA accumulation than uninoculated plants. Drought-stressed conditions caused the induction of delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate ( P5C ) synthase and P5C reductase expression along with proline accumulation. Foliar inoculation with Azospirillum caused a substantial increase in P5C synthase and P5C reductase expression. Results further showed that foliar inoculation alleviated the enhancement of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage. The field experiments showed that the application of Zn and/or Azospirillum was more effective on wheat performance than the exogenous application of SA. The best yield was obtained when a combined foliar application of Zn plus Azospirillum was used. Azospirillum inoculation could elevate the adaptability of wheat plants through inducing the transcription level of the related psbA gene, P5CS , and P5CR genes and enhancing proline, thereby ameliorating the adverse effects of drought stress. The present findings provide more insights into the regulatory mechanism of drought stress resistance in wheat by foliar inoculation of Azospirillum and may lay a fundamental basis for future functional studies and open a new era to improve plant tolerance to drought stress.

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This work was supported by Ilam University (grant number 04-IRILU-Ag-000214-23)

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Zarea, M.J. Foliar application of Azospirillum brasilense, salicylic acid and zinc on wheat Performance under rain–fed condition. CEREAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-024-00570-y

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Received : 13 January 2024

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-024-00570-y

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