Which activities can contribute to water acidification?

Which activities can contribute to water acidification?

• A. Drilling and mining releasing wastes that acidify water.
• B. Burning fossil fuels releasing pollutants that create acids leading to acid rain.
• C. Both A and B contribute to acidification.
• D. Water cannot become acidified.

Answer: (C)

Water acidification happens when acids enter water bodies and lower the pH of the water. Drilling and mining can release wastes that contain sulfide minerals; when these minerals oxidize in air and water, they form sulfuric acid, producing acidic runoff that flows into streams and lakes. Burning fossil fuels releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides; in the atmosphere these gases turn into sulfuric and nitric acids, which fall as acid rain and can lower the acidity of rainwater that drains into aquatic systems. So both activities can contribute to making water more acidic. The idea that water cannot become acidified isn’t correct.

Water acidification happens when acids enter water bodies and lower the pH of the water. Drilling and mining can release wastes that contain sulfide minerals; when these minerals oxidize in air and water, they form sulfuric acid, producing acidic runoff that flows into streams and lakes. Burning fossil fuels releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides; in the atmosphere these gases turn into sulfuric and nitric acids, which fall as acid rain and can lower the acidity of rainwater that drains into aquatic systems. So both activities can contribute to making water more acidic. The idea that water cannot become acidified isn’t correct.