Both complete and incomplete combustion have had a detrimental impact on both the environment and human health. In particular, the Greenhouse Effect, acid rain and photochemical smog, have come to light as a significant issue in recent years. When hydrocarbons, known more commonly as fossil fuels, are combusted, there are unintended waste products and they cause harm to human health and the environment. These waste products have social, economic and environmental implications. The effects associated with combustion of hydrocarbons provide incentives for society to find and develop alternative energy sources that are less harmful.
The greenhouse effect and global warming have severe impacts on our environment. Certain gases in our atmosphere, …show more content…
Acid rain is rain that has a higher than normal amount of acid in it, resulting in a lower pH level when compared to normal rain. Lightning and erupting volcanoes release some chemicals that cause acid rain, but human activities are the major cause with reference to the graph in Appendices 3 (National Geographic, Acid Rain). When humans burn fossil fuels, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are released and dissolve in water to produce sulfuric and nitric acid in rainwater with reference to Appendices 2. The ecological effects of acid rain are seen in streams, lakes, and rivers most clearly. As it flows through the soil, acid rain carries aluminum from soil particles to the water. The more acid that is introduced to the ecosystem, the more aluminum is released (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Effects of Acid Rain). This aluminium makes the water acidic and the plants and animals living there can’t tolerate the acidity (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Effects of Acid Rain). Acid rain also removes minerals and nutrients from the soil that trees need to grow, harming them and causing the plants to die because they don’t have the essential nutrients. Even if acid rain could be stopped, the harmful effects would take many years to
The greenhouse effect and global warming have severe impacts on our environment. Certain gases in our atmosphere, …show more content…
Acid rain is rain that has a higher than normal amount of acid in it, resulting in a lower pH level when compared to normal rain. Lightning and erupting volcanoes release some chemicals that cause acid rain, but human activities are the major cause with reference to the graph in Appendices 3 (National Geographic, Acid Rain). When humans burn fossil fuels, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are released and dissolve in water to produce sulfuric and nitric acid in rainwater with reference to Appendices 2. The ecological effects of acid rain are seen in streams, lakes, and rivers most clearly. As it flows through the soil, acid rain carries aluminum from soil particles to the water. The more acid that is introduced to the ecosystem, the more aluminum is released (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Effects of Acid Rain). This aluminium makes the water acidic and the plants and animals living there can’t tolerate the acidity (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Effects of Acid Rain). Acid rain also removes minerals and nutrients from the soil that trees need to grow, harming them and causing the plants to die because they don’t have the essential nutrients. Even if acid rain could be stopped, the harmful effects would take many years to