acid rain
terminology
A page dedicate as a 'glossary' to assist those on terminology on the topic of acid rain.
A
Acid- Chemicals with a pH less than 7.
Acid Rain - The result of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacting in the atmosphere with water, most dangerously returns in rain.
Acidic - Describes a substance with a pH less than 7.
Atmosphere- The air or gases that surround a planetary body such as the Earth.
B
Base - Chemicals with a pH greater than 7.
Basic - Describes a substance with a pH greater than 7 (alkaline).
Buffer- A substance capable of neutralizing either acids or bases.
C
D
Deposition- When chemicals like acids or bases fall to the Earth's surface.
E
Emissions - The gases that are released when fossil fuels are burned.
Energy Resources - Natural Resources that can be used to make energy.
Environment - The air, water, soil, minerals, organisms, and all other factors surrounding and affecting an organism.
F
Fossil Fuels - Oil, natural gas, and coal.
G
Greenhouse Gases - Gases that occur naturally in the Earth's atmosphere and trap heat to keep the planet warm.
H
Habitat - The place where an animal or plant lives and grows.
Hydrological Cycle - The movement of water form that atmosphere to the surface of the land, soil, and plants and back again to the atmosphere.
I
J
K
L
Leaching - Process by which water removes chemicals from soil through chemical reactions and the downward movement of water.
M
Mineral Weathering - The physical and chemical breakdown of rocks that releases ions.
N
Neutral - A substance that is neither an acid nor a base and has a pH of 7.
Neutralize - To combine acid or bases to make a neutral substance or solution.
Nuclear Power - Energy that comes from breaking apart the nucleus of an atom.
O
Ozone - A chemical that is made of three oxygen atoms joined together, and found in the Earth's atmosphere.
P
pH - A scale that denotes how acidic or basic a substance is.
pH Scale - The range of units that indicate whether a substance is acidic, basic, or neutral. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
Pollutants - Chemicals or other substances that are harmful to or unwanted in the environment.
Pollution - The release of harmful substances into the environment.
Precipitation - Water falling to the Earth.
Q
R
Reactive - Having the tendency to chemically combine with something else and change its form.
Run off - Water that flows off land into lakes and streams.
S
T
U
V
W
Wet Deposition - The process by which chemicals are removed from the atmosphere and deposited on the Earth's surface.
X
Y
Z
Acid- Chemicals with a pH less than 7.
Acid Rain - The result of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacting in the atmosphere with water, most dangerously returns in rain.
Acidic - Describes a substance with a pH less than 7.
Atmosphere- The air or gases that surround a planetary body such as the Earth.
B
Base - Chemicals with a pH greater than 7.
Basic - Describes a substance with a pH greater than 7 (alkaline).
Buffer- A substance capable of neutralizing either acids or bases.
C
D
Deposition- When chemicals like acids or bases fall to the Earth's surface.
E
Emissions - The gases that are released when fossil fuels are burned.
Energy Resources - Natural Resources that can be used to make energy.
Environment - The air, water, soil, minerals, organisms, and all other factors surrounding and affecting an organism.
F
Fossil Fuels - Oil, natural gas, and coal.
G
Greenhouse Gases - Gases that occur naturally in the Earth's atmosphere and trap heat to keep the planet warm.
H
Habitat - The place where an animal or plant lives and grows.
Hydrological Cycle - The movement of water form that atmosphere to the surface of the land, soil, and plants and back again to the atmosphere.
I
J
K
L
Leaching - Process by which water removes chemicals from soil through chemical reactions and the downward movement of water.
M
Mineral Weathering - The physical and chemical breakdown of rocks that releases ions.
N
Neutral - A substance that is neither an acid nor a base and has a pH of 7.
Neutralize - To combine acid or bases to make a neutral substance or solution.
Nuclear Power - Energy that comes from breaking apart the nucleus of an atom.
O
Ozone - A chemical that is made of three oxygen atoms joined together, and found in the Earth's atmosphere.
P
pH - A scale that denotes how acidic or basic a substance is.
pH Scale - The range of units that indicate whether a substance is acidic, basic, or neutral. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
Pollutants - Chemicals or other substances that are harmful to or unwanted in the environment.
Pollution - The release of harmful substances into the environment.
Precipitation - Water falling to the Earth.
Q
R
Reactive - Having the tendency to chemically combine with something else and change its form.
Run off - Water that flows off land into lakes and streams.
S
T
U
V
W
Wet Deposition - The process by which chemicals are removed from the atmosphere and deposited on the Earth's surface.
X
Y
Z