Acid rain is a kind of precipitation that contains acidic components. Acid rain is mainly caused by natural and human activities. When it comes to natural causes, volcanoes are responsible. But acid rain is mainly caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels. Through the combustion of fossil fuels, air compounds such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. When these substances are released into the air, they mix and react with water, oxygen and other chemicals and form different types of acidic pollutants called acid rain. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Normally, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides dissolve very easily in water. Not only that, but also thanks to the wind they can be transported very far. As a result, both compounds can travel long distances and end up in the rain, sleet, snow, and fog that we experience on some days. This includes any form of precipitation containing acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid, which fall from the atmosphere to the ground in wet or dry form. This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even acidic dust. Acid deposition can be caused by natural sources such as volcanoes, but it is primarily caused by the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide during the burning of fossil fuels. When these gases are released into the atmosphere, they react with water, oxygen and other gases already present to form sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid. These acids then disperse over large areas due to winds and fall to the ground as acid rain or other forms of precipitation. The gases most responsible for acid deposition are a byproduct of electrical power generation and coal combustion. As such, human-caused acid deposition began to become a significant problem during the Industrial Revolution and was first discovered by Scottish chemist Robert Angus Smith in 1852. That year he discovered the relationship between acid rain and air pollution in Manchester, England. Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper from our expert writers now.Get a Custom EssayAlthough it was discovered in the 1800s, unfortunately, acid deposition has not been attracted public attention only in the 1960s. Public attention increased further in the 1970s when the "New York Times" published reports on problems occurring at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, in New Hampshire. Overall, acid rain is a modern environmental problem. If we don't start solving it, it will turn into a real ecological disaster, and then everyone will feel the consequences of acid rain..