Despite its alarming name, acid rain isn’t the kind of liquid that burns holes in clothes or melts skin—it’s usually no more acidic than a glass of orange juice. You might not even notice it falling. What makes acid rain dangerous isn’t its strength, but its scale and persistence.

Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides—mostly released from burning fossil fuels—react with water vapor in the atmosphere. This reaction produces tiny droplets containing sulfuric and nitric acids. Natural sources such as volcanoes and wildfires also contribute, but only on a much smaller scale except during major eruptions.

Under normal conditions, rainwater has a slightly acidic pH of about 5.6. Acid rain can push that number down to around 4 or even 3—enough to leach nutrients from soil, damage tree leaves, and acidify lakes until fish populations collapse. Over time, it can even erode marble statues and limestone buildings, leaving visible scars on landscapes and architecture alike.

The good news is that policy and science have made a difference. Since the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, EPA regulations have reduced sulfur dioxide emissions in the United States by over 90% and nitrogen oxides by more than 80%. These changes have helped lakes, forests, and even visibility in national parks begin to recover dramatically.

This acid rain test kit lets you collect the same kind of data ecologists use to study and understand environmental change—empowering you to observe firsthand how air, water, and science connect in the natural world.

Kit Includes:
12 plastic test tubes
Acid Rain range pH test strips + color comparison guide
Full-spectrum pH test strips + color comparison guide
pH explainer/Survey guide
Eco-friendly container

Recommended ages 10+