Maxo11x t1_izs93tc wrote on December 11, 2022 at 1:51 PM

Rain droplets themselves I don't know if the average size has changed, but I know that they have become more acidic due to increased sulfur and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere getting absorbed into the clouds. Also humans have changed the weather patterns and climate, changing the humidity in areas, with sometimes odd effects. Some areas are getting more and more rainfall with others recieving less due to changing climate tendancies.

PerspectivePure2169 t1_izsq0r7 wrote on December 11, 2022 at 3:58 PM

This is partially true. In recent years rain has become significantly less acidic, because the biggest contributor was sulfur from burning coal, and that's been reduced thru stack scrubbing and general replacement of coal.

It's not a minor effect. Sulfur is a necessary nutrient in plant growth, and quite a few farms that traditionally benefited from the contribution of acid rain now have to add it when fertilizing.

There was always a localized effect to it though. The UK had and has major problems with loss of peat in high moorland because of the steady deposition of acid rain on thin soils under a constant wind pattern. That land can only sustain peat and without it is subject to erosion.

For deeper soils on cropped agricultural land it's of benefit.

CO2 isn't nearly as significant at creating acid rain, since sulfuric acid is far more powerful than carbonic.

NDaveT t1_izu9qit wrote on December 11, 2022 at 10:06 PM

Yep, acid rain is an example of scientists noticing a problem and coming up with possible solutions, and policymakers implementing and enforcing some of those solutions.