8.3.6—Acid rain impacts

Acid deposition harms different receptors through different mechanisms: nutrient leaching and aluminium toxicity in ecosystems, corrosion in materials, and particle-related lung inflammation.

Choose receptor → mechanism → effect. Acidified soil can lose calcium; mobilized aluminium can damage fish gills; acids corrode carbonate stone; associated particles can enter lungs.

Acidified soil releases aluminium into a stream, where fish gills are damaged and survival falls.

Nutrient leaching and root/foliage damage reduce uptake; name that pathway instead of saying ‘acid kills trees’.

Acid rain does not usually burn skin directly; respiratory harm follows particle exposure pathways.