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Answer: 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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