AP®︎ Environmental Science: Topic 7.7 Flashcards

Transfer of acidic substances from the atmosphere to Earth’s surface through wet or dry deposition, principally after SO₂ and NOₓ form sulfuric and nitric acids

The wet form of acid deposition, commonly identified as precipitation below about pH 5.6; ordinary rain is already mildly acidic from dissolved CO₂.

Delivery of acidic substances to Earth’s surface in rain, snow, sleet, fog, or cloud water

Settling of acidic gases and particles onto surfaces without precipitation, sometimes followed by their being washed into soil or water

Acid-deposition precursors produced mainly by high-temperature combustion in vehicles and power plants; natural sources include lightning, wildfires, and soil microbes

Acid-deposition precursors released especially by burning sulfur-containing coal; volcanoes are a natural source, and atmospheric reactions form sulfuric acid

Loss of dissolved soil nutrients as hydrogen ions displace calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other positive ions that percolating water carries from the root zone

A soil or water body’s ability to neutralize added acid; carbonate-rich limestone provides high buffering, while granite and thin soils provide little

Lowering of soil pH by acid deposition, causing nutrient leaching and the mobilization of aluminum that can harm plants and aquatic systems

Lowering of lake, pond, or stream pH by acid deposition and acidic runoff, harming acid-sensitive organisms and reducing species richness