Rate This Article

Average: 0/5

Smith, Robert Angus

Smith, Robert Angus

This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor: Peter Saundry

Robert Angus Smith (1817-1884), an English chemist who first coined the phrase "acid rain" in 1852 when he noted the connection between London's polluted skies and the acidity of the region's rainfall. In Air and Rain (1872), he published results of his analysis of rainwater throughout the British Isles in the 19th century. Smith described three zones of air pollution: carbonate and ammonia in fields and open country; ammonium sulfate in suburbs; and acid sulfate and sulfuric acid in town. The most acid rain recorded was in Glasgow, Scotland; the reported value (representing an average of several individual samples) was 109.16 grains of sulfuric anhydride per gallon of rainwater. When sulfuric anhydride (SO3) is dissolved in water, each mole of SO3 becomes a mole of sulfuric acid, H2SO4.

Citation

Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Smith, Robert Angus". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth November 4, 2006; Last revised Date November 4, 2006; Retrieved May 24, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Smith,_Robert_Angus>

The Author

Cutler J. Cleveland Cutler J. Cleveland  is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth.  He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)

0 Comments

Add Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment. Click here to login