Unit conversions and dimensional analysis. The students calculate the area of the campus and the total volume of rain which falls on campus per inch of rainfall. Students calculate the amount of limestone required to neutralize the acid in a given rainfall. They need to assume some mixture of magnesium and calcium carbonates in the limestone. Gas laws, partial pressure, and solubility of gases.
Students can discuss the natural acidity of rain due to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
This can also lead to discussions of the effect of the accelerating greenhouse effect on rain pH. 4. Oxidation and reduction chemistry. Strong acids and weak acids. The resolution of this provides a deep understanding of the properties of strong and weak acids. Students can calculate the equilibrium pH of rain due to carbon dioxide in the air.