The reason no one talks about acid rain anymore is because acid rain is not as much as a threat as it used to be due to government regulations which have reduced emissions and pollutants that improved air quality.
The reduction of emissions and improved air quality lowered the amount of acid rain that occurs.
Acid rain is still a threat and many places do still get acid rain but most states get little to no acid rain now so acid rain is not as widely as a threat as it used to be.
The top 5 states for acid rain are Pennsylvania, Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is the state with the most acidic rain and the pH value of the acid rain is 4.1 which is slightly higher than the pH 3 value of vinegar is and the pH value of normal non acidic water is 5.6.
Acid rain is caused by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which is released into the atmosphere from human activities such as from burning fossil fuels.
The sulfur dioxide and nitrogen then react with oxygen, water and other chemicals to form the sulfuric acid and nitric acids which then fall as rain.
The main cause of the pollutants that cause acid rain are from vehicle emissions and power plants although some natural sources like volcanoes also cause acid rain.
Power generation plants that produce electricity release the majority of sulfur dioxide and much of the nitrogen oxides when they burn fossil fuels like coal, to produce electricity.
Also the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses also release nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide into the air.
These pollutants cause acid rain.
Acid rain is any kind of precipitation with acidic components, like sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms.
This can also include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that is acidic.
The health effects of acid rain that people have to worry about are not caused by the acid rain itself, but instead are caused when people breathe in these tiny particles or ozone.
Swimming in an acidic lake or walking in an acidic rain or rain puddles is no more harmful to people than swimming or walking in clean water.