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Carbonic Acid
Carbonic acid forms when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in water droplets. The clouds containing these droplets produce rainfall or other precipitation with carbonic acid. Human activities can further acidify precipitation.
Acid Rain
The term "acid rain" refers to rain that contains acids that form from man-made pollutants, including nitrogen and sulfur oxides. The pH of acid rain can range from about 4 to 5.5. Lower acidity is associated with more industry, power plants and cars, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Measuring Acidity
Rain samples are collected around the country and their pH is measured to assess the distribution of acidity. Natural sources such as volcanoes, organic decay and phytoplankton also produce compounds like sulfur dioxide that can acidify rain, according to Tropical-Rainforest-Animals.com. The source of acid in rainfall is sometimes impossible to determine.