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Acid rain 

Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emanating from industrial smoke react with water in the atmosphere to give rise to sulphuric acid and nitric acids. These acids, formed in the air, come down to the Earth along with rain. The pH of acid rain depends on the concentration of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. The pH of acid rain varies from 5.6 to as low as 3.0, which makes it almost as acidic as vinegar.        
    It causes direct damage to the leaves of p!ants. Forests in many parts of the industrialized world are drying because of acid rain. It also causes the leaching of nutrients out of the soil, some of which are very essential for plant growth, e.g., calcium and magnesium. These nutrients are carried out of the soil into streams and ponds. Acid rain also affects lakes. Their waters become devoid of life, except for some algae and fungi that grow at the bottom. Acidity leads to an increase in dissolved metals, particularly aluminium. This element affects the gills of the fish. and they die of suffocation. Birds living near lakes that have high aluminium content are poisoned by aluminium because they feed on the aquatic insects. Acid rain also corrodes materials such as marble stonework and metals.