Causes
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Concept:
Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from burning fossil fuels react in the atmosphere to form sulfuric and nitric acids, which fall with precipitation.
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Example:
Coal-fired power plants in North Rhine-Westphalia in the 1970s–80s released high SO2/NOx, driving acidic rainfall across western Germany.
Effects
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Concept:
The acids lower soil and water pH, mobilize toxic metals, and reduce nutrient availability, harming forests and aquatic ecosystems.
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Example:
Spruce forests in the Harz region showed growth decline and dieback due to soil acidification.