Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Acid rain molecule tells all

Acid rain has plagued this Earth for a few generations now, and scientists for just as long have been battling to fight the environmental nightmare. Yet, to truly conquer a foe, you must first understand it. Recently, scientists at Purdue University have brought us one step closer by discovering exactly how acid rain works to react with nitric acid to form ozone.

Without getting too scientific on you, let's just say that this research was not an easy project. The key to everything lied in uncovering a temporary intermediate molecule, created in the short-lived process of acid rain's transformation from normal water molecules. This bond between the intermediate molecule and the hydrogen in water are actually stronger than you would expect between water to water. This new understanding of acid rain on a molecular level may be the first step in its eventual elimination.
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