Standards Site

 
 
Your path:  Standards Site Home > Schemes of work > Science at key stage 3 > Environmental chemistry > a. What are the effects of acid rain and how can they be reduced?
Schemes of Work
Schemes home Planning Adapting units Combining units     Schemes help QCA
About this unit
Where the unit fits in
Expectations
Prior learning
Health and safety
Language for learning
Resources
Out-of-school learning
All objectives
All activities
All outcomes
Print/download the unit

Science at key stage 3    (Year 9)

Unit 9G: Environmental chemistry
Section 4: a. What are the effects of acid rain and how can they be reduced?

QCA

Objectives
Children should learn:
  • about the effects of acid rain on rocks and building materials
  • why acid rain will dissolve some building stones
  • that acids in the environment can lead to corrosion of metal
  • to make careful observations over a period of time

Activities

Outcomes
Children:
  • Provide pupils with named samples of a number of rocks, including some sandstones and some carbonates, eg chalk, marble, and metals, eg zinc, iron, lead, together with a very dilute solution of sulphuric acid (to represent acid rain), and ask pupils to investigate the effect of the acid on the materials. Ask them to suggest how to make and record careful observations of small changes over a period of time. Ask pupils to contribute results to a class record and bring together all the results.
  • identify that acid rain affects some metals and carbonate-containing rocks
  • record observations accurately, indicating the time intervals between them

Points to note
  • Lime-cemented sandstone, eg Cotswold type, should be used. The sand grains fall apart as the cement dissolves. Before pupils use them, clay-cemented sandstones need to be investigated to see if water causes as much effect as 'acid rain'.
  • Pupils will have encountered the reactions of acids with carbonates and metals in unit 7F 'Simple chemical reactions' and unit 9E 'Reactions of metals and metal compounds'.
  • Extension: pupils could be asked to suggest what would happen if acid rain were to run into a stream passing through carbonate rocks, and to find out about the formation of limestone caves.

    • Safety

    • a very dilute solution of sulphuric acid (0.005 mol dm-3) is suitable for this activity

Sections in this unit

 << previous section next section >>
This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
1. How are soils different from each other?
2. What happens to rocks and building materials over time?
3. What causes acid rain?
4. a. What are the effects of acid rain and how can they be reduced?
5. b. What are the effects of acid rain and how can they be reduced?
6. a. Is pollution worse now?
7. b. Is pollution worse now?
8. Is global warming happening?
9. Reviewing work