Science Projects on the Effects of Acid Rain on Buildings

Test Subjects

• Research some of the common architecture in your local area. Learn the most common materials used on the buildings in your surrounding areas. For example, collect samples of limestone and cement if those are the main building materials for buildings in your area. Get a brick-sized sample of each material so you have plenty to work with for your experiment. Isolate the test subjects from each other so you can observe how the acid rain affects each subject.

The Catalyst

• Unless you live in a place with regular downpours of acid rain (which isn't a good thing), you need to make your own acid rain for the experiment. Mix bromothymal blue and water in a test tube until the solution turns light blue. Light several matches and set them in a glass container with a lid. Allow the fire to die down and then add the solution to the glass container. Shake until the water turns yellow. This is your acid rain. Pick out the spent matches with a pair of metal tweezers.

Performing the Experiment

• Weigh your test subjects before you begin the experiment. Measure out your acid rain in equal measurements for each of your test subjects. Sprinkle the acid rain onto the test subjects at a slow and steady rate. Give each test subject the same amount of acid rain and time the exposure. Expose the test subjects to the acid rain for the same amount of time. Don a pair of thick gloves and goggles before you handle the test experiments. Rinse them off with pure water and set them on a towel to dry. Weigh them again after they dry to determine how much material the acid ate away. Based on your findings, you can determine which building material is most vulnerable to acid rain.

Clean Up

• Acid water is something you should never dump down your sink. Any runoff from your experiment needs to go through the decontamination process. Move all of your acid rain supply into a large, 5-gallon bucket. Slowly pour water and baking soda into the bucket. Baking soda is a base, so adding it to the acid rain will counteract the acidity of the solution. Put a piece of blue pH paper into the solution after you finish mixing. If paper turns red, add more baking soda until it stays blue. This means there is no acid left in the concoction. Then pour it down the toilet or sink.