Rainwater
Analysis for the Presence of Ions
Key Terms
Acid
Rain = precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, hail, or dew that measures less than 7
on the pH scale.
Dry
Deposition
= the deposit of any organic or inorganic matter on the leaves or branches of any plant
from the atmosphere.
Event
rain = a sample of rain that was collected on a specific date or at a specific
time.
Extrapolate
= to make an inference based on facts.
Fluoride
= a charged particle of fluoride; F-
Foliar
interactions = the results of the presence of compounds around plants and trees such
as deposition or leaching.
Graph
scale = the number quantity given to each grid on a graph
Horizontal
axis = a.k.a. the X axis; indicates the information required of the independent
variable on a plotted point graph.
Independent
variable = the experimental factor that is changed by the experimenter; in graphing,
is utilized on the horizontal axis.
Ion
= any atom that has lost or gained one or more valence electrons thus carrying a positive
or negative charge.
Leaching
= the process of drawing a compound out of leaves or branches.
Monthly
rain = a sample of rain that was collected over a time period of 30 days.
Nitrate
= a polyatomic ion composed of nitrogen and oxygen in a 1 to 3 ratio; NO3-
Nitrite
= a polyatomic ion composed of nitrogen and oxygen in a 1 to 2 ratio; NO2-
Pollution
= the addition of harmful waste matter by human industry or natural phenomenon.
Polyatomic
ion = an ion that consists of two or more elements.
Precipitation
= (1) water molecules that form in the Earth’s atmosphere as dew, rain, snow, or
hail; (2) formation of insoluble complexes that settle out of solution.
Seawater
= salt water as it occurs in the oceans.
Sulfate
= a polyatomic ion composed of sulfur and oxygen in a 1 to 4 ratio; SO42-
Throughfall
= precipitation that has been filtered by leaves and branches of trees and bushes.