How to Test Rainwater Acidity
Rainwater is naturally acidic due to the presence of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide and sulfur dioxide found in the Earth's troposphere. Human activities such as fossil fuel burning for industrial purposes can raise the rainwater's natural acidity. Overly acidic rainwater can result in the death of freshwater fish, damage to crops and erosion of structures such as buildings and monuments. Testing the pH of rainwater, which can determine its acidity levels, requires the use of a pH water testing kit.
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Things You'll Need
- Container for collecting rainwater sample
- pH water testing kit
- Data table
- Land use map of area being tested
Instructions
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Place the container outside while it is raining. Do not put it close to buildings; this will ensure that the rainwater sample is not contaminated by water running off of buildings roofs or walls.
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Bring the rainwater sample to your home or classroom.
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Set up the pH testing kit according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Follow the manufacturer's instructions when adding the pH buffer tablet or the correct amount of buffer solution or powder to the sample if using a regent pH water testing kit. Dip the strip into the solution and leave it in for the amount of time indicated by the manufacturer. The strip will change color. Determine the sample's acidity by comparing the resulting color of the strip to the color gradient chart included in the kit.
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Put the pH reader into the rainwater if using a digital pH water testing kit. Wait a pH reading appears on the reader's screen.
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Tips & Warnings
Obtain a better-rounded set of results by collecting two or more rainwater samples and testing the acidity of each. Ideally, should spread the containers used to collect samples over a large area. Use a table to record the location and acidity of each sample.
Consider plotting the acidity of each test site on a land use map of the area. Doing so will enable you to analyze any variation in the acidity of rainwater found in the area.
