(a) Wet Deposition

♤ If the acid chemicals in the air are blown into areas where the weather is wet, the acids can fall to the ground in the form of rain, snow, fog, or mist.

♤ As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it affects a variety of plants and animals.

♤ The strength of the effects depends on several factors, including how acidic the water is; the chemistry and buffering capacity of the soils involved; and the types of fish, trees, and other living things that rely on the water.

♤ Precipitation removes gases and particles from the atmosphere by two processes:

(i) rain-out which is the incorporation of particles into cloud drops which fall to the ground, and

(ii) washout which occurs when materials below the cloud is swept down by rain or snow it falls.