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Date May 2019 Marks available 1 Reference code 19M.1.sl.TZ2.20
Level SL Paper 1 Time zone TZ2
Command term Question number 20 Adapted from N/A

Question

What is the major reason why the pH of unpolluted rain is less than 7?

A. methane

B. carbon dioxide

C. nitrogen oxides

D. sulfur dioxide

Markscheme

B

Examiners report

This was one of the challenging questions on the paper. 58 % of the candidates identified carbon dioxide as the cause of acidity in unpolluted rain. The rest mainly chose either nitrogen oxides (option C) or sulfur dioxide (option D), the causes of acidity in polluted rain.

Syllabus sections

Core » Topic 8: Acids and bases » 8.5 Acid deposition
Core » Topic 8: Acids and bases
Core
Nature of Science

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