INTRODUCTION!
In Mr Casey's physical science class, and at our homes, we are testing different acetic acids with chalk to see the reactions, and to see if a statue would be able to stay put in Awesomeville. The chalk is the solute and the acid rain would be the solvent. We will also do a final product of a bigger limestone cliff and statue of Mr Casey's to see if it's not safe. We need to see if acetic acids and calcium carbonates react in such a way that a cliff of chalk would fall over and destroy Mr. Casey's statue in Awesomeville. After we mix things, we will then try to combine baking soda with the leftovers and try to form it back into calcium carbonate. Sarah, Blake, and I will be using chalk, vinegar, orange juice, [insert other thing] and mixing the acids together with the alkaline, chalk, next week at Joan McQueen middle school and our own house. The main purpose of this experiment is to prove to the mayor of Awesomeville that it is NOT too smart to put Mr. Casey's statue underneath a limestone cliff, especially if there's acid rain. We believe it's not safe because the cliff will erode, crumble, and collapse onto the statue over time. We want to convince the mayor to move his statue somewhere safer, out of harms way.
What happens with the limestone and some acids?
CaCo3+HC-----------> CalCl2+CO2
Limestone can neutralize some acids, but with acid rain it's more of a problem as stated down below. Sometimes the calcium salts coat the limestone, making it not a neutralizer. Reactions do not happen all of a sudden either. It takes time and patience.
Source:
phadjustment.com/limestone.htm
Calcium Carbonate: [Ca][CO3] Examples: Marble, Limestone, and chalk. Common mineral.
Acids in acid rain mix with a calcium carbonate and create:
Source:
http://butane.chem.uiuc.edu/pshapley/GenChem1/L26/3.html
By adding baking soda after doing the chalk and vinegar (aka: Acetic acid aka: acid rain) you make the chalk a calcium carbonate again and return it to its original properties.
Source: http://scienceforkids.kidipede.com/chemistry/atoms/doing/calcium.htm
Environmental: Acid rain is produced from cars and industrial productions. The pollutants of these cause nitrogen and sulfur Thus, the gasses are percipiated from earths surface to be rained back on again. While normal rain is around 5-6, acid rain is below that on the pH scale. When the gases are percipitaed into the air they react with other gases, water, oxygen, to form sulfuric acids, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acids. Then, they are rained back onto earth. This can affect forests and bodies of water. It causes stunt in the growth of trees and their leaves to fall. It damages their bark and can cause diseases more insects and weather changes. It is harmful to soil too, and can cause a difference in calcium. It disrupts the nutrients in soil and kills microorganisms. If a tree is touching the clouds, the moisture of acid rain can cause harm. In a lake, if its pH is below 4.8 it is like any other over acid raid lake, (estimated 50,000 in US and Canada . It can kill plants and animals, and doesn't allow much life to grow or live in that lake.
History: During the industrial revolution, it was discovered by chemist Robert Angus smith, a scottish chemist about acid rain and its affects and whats happening.
Safety: It can be a danger to architectural also. If the acid rain hits buildings, (like some made of limestone) it will cause it to erode and wash away. It can harm: railroad tracks, cars, buildings, airplanes, pipes, and steel bridges. To reduce the nitrogen and sulfur, the government is now making people clean smoke stacks (traps pollutants) before released and using
analytic converters in cars to simplify their emissions. They are now funding for habitats that have been affected by acid rain.
Source: http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/acidrain.htm