What happens to plants when rain is acidic? Set up an easy acid rain science project with this flowers in vinegar experiment. Explore what causes acid rain and what can be done about it. A great project for Earth Day!
What Is Acid Rain?
You might already know that water is necessary for all living things on Earth. Rain provides much of the water for the planet. Check out our water cycle in a bag activity! What happens though when rainwater becomes acidic?
Most water, including the water we drink, has a neutral pH between 6.5 and 8.5. Acid rain is rainfall and other forms of precipitation that are acidic, that is, they have a pH lower than 6.5. Learn more about the pH scale.
What causes acid rain?
Some acid rain is caused by gases released from rotting vegetation and volcanic eruptions, but most is caused by chemicals released into the air from burning coal, petroleum, and other products.
The main gases leading to acid rain are sulfur and nitrogen dioxide. These gases become acids when they come into contact with water and oxygen. A chemical reaction takes place!
How does acid rain affect the environment?
Can acid rain hurt us? Although acid rain is not acidic enough to directly burn our skin, it has a harmful effect on forests, plants, soil, insects, and other life forms.
Acid rain is especially damaging for aquatic habitats, like streams, ponds, lakes and rivers as it affects the organisms that live in the water. See our ocean acidification experiment with seashells.
Fish, and other aquatic animals and plants, are very sensitive to changes in the water’s pH. For example, at a pH of 5, fish eggs won’t hatch, which in turn affects other organisms that feed on them.
How can we reduce acid rain?
Using renewable energy, such as power from windmills, water, and the sun (solar), instead of fossil fuels helps reduce acid rain in the environment.
You can help too by reducing your energy use at home and at school. Turn off lights, computers, TVs, video games, and other electrical equipment when you’re not using them.
How To Set Up An Acid Rain Experiment
Let’s explore the effect of acid rain on the environment with this simple experiment. It’s a great hands-on STEM activity that is sure to get kids thinking.
This acid rain project asks a few questions!
- What is acid rain?
- What causes acid rain?
- What impact does acid rain have on the environment?
Let’s explore the answers together!
Supplies:
- 3 Flowers
- 3 Containers
- Vinegar
- Water
Instructions:
STEP 1: Add water to the three containers: the first one should be full, the second one half full, and the third one 1/4 full.
STEP 2: Add vinegar to the second two, enough in each so that all three containers are equally full.
STEP 3: Add a flower into each container and wait.
Observe them for 24 hours. What do you see happen?
Acid Rain Experiment Explanation
When you add vinegar to water, it lowers the pH and makes the solution acidic, similar to acid rain. Which flower looked the best after a day? You would have found that the flower sitting in the water with a neutral pH was the freshest.
What does acid rain do to plants? Acid rain may damage the leaves of trees and plants, making it harder for them to photosynthesis. It also changes the pH of the soil, dissolving essential minerals that the plants need to grow.
Turn It Into A Science Fair Project
Science projects are an excellent tool for older kiddos to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments, including classrooms, homeschools, and groups.
Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method, stating a hypothesis, choosing variables, and analyzing and presenting data.
Want to turn one of these experiments into an awesome science fair project? Check out these helpful resources.
More Environmental Science For Kids
Discover many fun and doable Earth Day activities for kids, including art and crafts, slime recipes, science experiments, and more. Like these ideas…
Explore the impact of stormwater runoff pollution for Earth Day.
Make this edible soil erosion model.
Explore ways to help the Earth by reducing your carbon footprint.
Learn about the effect of storms on coastal erosion and set up a beach erosion demonstration.
Here is a simple ocean science experiment you can set up with seashells in vinegar that explores the effect of ocean acidification.
Try this oil spill cleanup experiment to learn about ocean pollution right at home or in the classroom.
Printable Earth Day Activities Pack
40+ Earth Day science activities and STEM projects for kids that are easy to set up and fit into your available time, even if it’s limited!
- Printable Earth Day theme STEM activities that are simple but engaging for home or classroom. Perfect for K-2 and beyond but easily adaptable to many skill levels.
- Dive into simple background science explanations to share with kids. At the same time, kiddos can explore hands-on and playful experiments, projects, and activities such as cleaning up oil spills, exploring water filters, and more!
- Engaging Earth Day Enginers pack with theme activities, journal pages, and design process steps! Learn about the design process and think like an engineer while you design and build a better recycling can and more!
- Easy to gather supplies makes these STEM activities ideal when you have limited resources available. Specialty activities include growing a grass head, making an insect hotel, DIY birdseed ornaments, and more!
- Additional STEM activities include a recycling sort, brick-building ideas, puzzles, and screen-free coding activities.
- Earth Day Bingo Activity Pack is included as well.
