Why does marble erode when exposed to acid

This gas then forms nitric acid via Equations 4 and 5. Thus, a process that occurs naturally at levels tolerable by the environment can harm the environment when human activity causes the process e. Most is accounted for by the presence of sulfuric acid H 2 SO 4 in rainwater. Although sulfuric acid may be produced naturally in small quantities from biological decay and volcanic activity Figure 1 , it is produced almost entirely by human activity, especially the combustion of sulfur-containing fossil fuels in power plants.

When these fossil fuels are burned, the sulfur contained in them reacts with oxygen from the air to form sulfur dioxide SO 2. The effects of burning fossil fuels can be dramatic: in contrast to the unpolluted atmospheric SO 2 concentration of 0 to 0. Sulfur dioxide, like the oxides of carbon and nitrogen, reacts with water to form sulfuric acid Equation 6.

At sea level and 25 o C, one mole of air fills a volume of Compute the mole fraction i. One strategy for limiting the amount of acid pollution in the atmosphere is scrubbing. In particular, calcium oxide CaO is injected into the combustion chamber of a power plant, where it reacts with the sulfur dioxide produced, to yield solid calcium sulfite. Write a balanced chemical equation for this reaction.

HINT: Consult the table of common ions in the tutorial assignment for Experiment 1 to view the structure and formula for sulfite; also, use your knowledge of the periodic table to deduce the charge of the calcium ion.

Using these facts, you can deduce the formula for calcium sulfite. Approximately one ton, or 9. How much sulfur dioxide in moles is prevented from entering the atmosphere when this much calcium sulfite is generated? Show your calculation. The final stage in the scrubbing process is to treat the combustion gases with a slurry of solid CaO in water, in order to trap any remaining SO 2 and convert it to calcium sulfite.

A slurry is a thick suspension of an insoluble precipitate in water. Using the solubility guidelines provided in the lab manual for this experiment, predict whether this stage of the scrubbing process will produce a slurry i.

If MgO, rather than CaO, were used for scrubbing, would the product of the final stage be a slurry or a solution of magnesium sulfite? Assume that a very large quantity of magnesium sulfite, relative to the amount of water, is produced. Acid rain triggers a number of inorganic and biochemical reactions with deleterious environmental effects, making this a growing environmental problem worldwide.

Marble and limestone have long been preferred materials for constructing durable buildings and monuments. Marble and limestone both consist of calcium carbonate CaCO 3 , and differ only in their crystalline structure.

Limestone consists of smaller crystals and is more porous than marble; it is used more extensively in buildings. Marble, with its larger crystals and smaller pores, can attain a high polish and is thus preferred for monuments and statues.

Although these are recognized as highly durable materials, buildings and outdoor monuments made of marble and limestone are now being gradually eroded away by acid rain. How does this happen? Soil acidification from acid rain that is harmful to plant and aquatic life has now begun to reverse in forests of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, according to an American-Canadian collaboration of five institutions led by the U.

Geological Survey. A recent international scientific study on Russian soils raises concerns that acid rain may have serious implications for forest growth in the U. Marble is a famous metamorphic rock known for its use in sculpture and architecture.

This particular marble came from the Campbell Quarry in Texas, Maryland. Constructed of marble, the building took 5 years to complete. Constructed of marble, the building took 11 years to complete. Skip to main content. Search Search. Apply Filter. Can lakes near volcanoes become acidic enough to be dangerous to people and animals? Crater lakes atop volcanoes are typically the most acid, with pH values as low as 0. Normal lake waters, in contrast, have relatively neutral pH values near 7.

The crater lake at El Chichon volcano in Mexico had a pH of 0. The acid waters of these lakes Why is our porcelain sink stained brown? The brown stain is from a large amount of iron in your water. It is closely related to simple rust that you see on metal, which is iron oxide. Your water probably comes from groundwater that filtered through rocks containing iron-rich minerals on its way to the well.

Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes? Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds, it miraculously clears up!

The cloudiness is due to tiny air bubbles in the water. Like any bubbles, the air rises to the top of the water and goes into the air, clearing up the water.

The water in the pipes coming into your house might What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs? Naturally-occurring organic compounds are created when plant material decays in lakes and reservoirs.

Those organic compounds frequently cause musty, earthy odors, especially toward the end of summer. The odors can be objectionable, but generally are not harmful to health. However, odors can be caused by other constituents as well, so you might The sulfuric acid then further reacts with the limestone in a neutralization reaction. The calcium sulfate is soluble in water and hence the limestone dissolves and crumbles.

Effects on Sculptures:. There are many examples in both the U. Many sculptures have been destroyed, a few have been preserved by bringing them inside. Acid Rain Effects. Elmhurst College.