IndexPhysical measuresLegislative measuresConclusionRainwater is naturally acidic and as it falls, the rain dissolves carbon dioxide and water naturally present in the atmosphere to form a weak carbonic acid with a PH of 5.6. The burning of fossil fuels and emissions from vehicles and natural sources causes sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide to combine with rain to form a stronger acid, in the form of wet deposition (acid rain, snow or fog) or dry deposition in the form of dust. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Vital plant nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions are eroded from the soil surface, and toxic ions of aluminum and lead that were once insoluble seep into the soil affecting the health and productivity of plants in that ecosystem. Aluminum leached into lakes, rivers or reservoirs from surrounding land causes algae blooms and this has serious repercussions on the aquatic ecosystem. Furthermore, lakes become so acidic that fish are unable to regulate their internal salt concentration and therefore die en masse, depleting their reserves. Additionally, acid rain can denature proteins and inhibit the enzymatic action of tissues and organisms. Invertebrates with exoskeletons are particularly sensitive and can die as the acid dissolves the calcium compounds that form their skeleton. Acid deposition further causes corrosion of buildings, statues, railway lines, and iron bridges, to name a few. Buildings and statues, especially those made of limestone, are damaged by acid rain. Acidic water also corrodes the inside of water pipes and causes copper, aluminum and lead ions to be released from water pipes into drinking water. Drinking water becomes poisonous causing harmful effects on human health such as "diarrhea in young children and liver and kidney damage"). Some research has linked Alzheimer's disease to higher levels of aluminum in the body. Human diseases such as bronchitis, asthma and emphysema are exacerbated by the production of acid rain and the treatment of these diseases places a burden on the NHS. Cross-border pollution caused by prevailing winds affects countries where acid was not produced and leaves an ecological burden on their societies, for example Scandinavia's coniferous forest destroyed by acid rain due to pollution in other countries Europeans. Physical measures How to counteract the effect of acid rain: Power plants change fuel, producing cleaner coal; Installing catalytic converters in cars to reduce nitrogen dioxide; Reducing acidity in lakes by adding calcium carbonate to neutralize the acid; limiting the number of vehicles on the road, a difficult goal to achieve in most countries in the world; use of alternative energy sources such as hydroelectric, solar, wind or nuclear energy; attachment to the gas flue by sulfur scrubbing, also known as flue gas desulphurisation (FGD). Most of the above physical measures have led to the reduction of acid rain. However, the effectiveness of adding calcium or liming to neutralize acids in the lake has its limits. It is expensive to liming all acidified lakes and is difficult to apply to lakes and streams in remote locations. Flue gas desulfurization has high operating costs, putting a strain on Eastern European countries that rely heavily on coal to modernize their plants, a.