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The two elements that are responsible for acid rain are sulphur and nitrogen.

Acid precipitation is formed when sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from coal fired power plants and mines processing ores with a high content of sulfur are absorbed by water droplets. This forms sulfurous/sulfuric and nitrous/nitric acids. Some of the sulfurous acid can be transformed into sulfuric acid.

The chemistry:

Sulfur dioxide and water form sulfurous acid (H2SO3)

SO2(g) + H2O(l) <--> H2SO3(aq)

In some cases sulfur dioxide (SO2) oxidizes to sulfur trioxide (SO3)

2SO2(g) + O2(g) -> 2SO3(g)

The sulfur trioxide (SO3) then combines with water making sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

SO3(g) + H2O(l) -> H2SO4(aq)

Some oxides of nitrogen like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) react with water to form nitrous acid (HNO2) and nitric acid (HNO3)

2NO2(g) + H2O(l) -> HNO2(aq) + HNO3(aq)

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Which element present as an impurity in fossil fuels causes acid rain?

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