What is Ocean Acidification?
Ocean acidification occurs when the chemical composition of ocean waters changes such as the temperature and pH. The pH of a substance defines how acidic, basic, or neutral it is on a scale from 1-14 by measuring the amount of hydrogen ions, where 7 is the neutral point. If the pH is below 7, the solution is acidic. If the solution is above 7, it is basic. In nature, the atmosphere is composed of about 0.05% of carbon dioxide. However, humans are rapidly using fossil fuels for energy such as coal, oil, and gas since the Industrial Revolution which exponentially increases the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the air. The ocean’s pH can lower and become more acidic if there is an excess of carbon dioxide …show more content…
When the carbon dioxide is absorbed into the water, it reacts and forms carbonic acid which has the chemical formula H2CO3. Carbonic acid eventually separates itself into a hydrogen ion and a bicarbonate ion. As the number of hydrogen ions increase in the water, this lowers the pH which increases the acidity of the oceans. The more hydrogen ions present, the more acidic the water will be.
How does Ocean Acidification impact the Earth?
The ocean’s make up most of the world’s biodiversity, provide humans with food, and maintain numerous food webs. Coral reefs, mollusks, plankton, and sea urchins utilize carbonate ions and calcium to make their shells. However, the presence of hydrogen ions erodes shells and decreases the amount of carbonate present. As a result, this deteriorates coral reefs quicker than they can replenish themselves. This alters the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystem since coral reefs provide shelter to a plethora of marine species, nursing grounds, and sources of food for other organisms. Overall, this cascade will affect not only species in the ocean, but outside of the land since humans utilize the water for food, drinking, and
Ocean acidification occurs when the chemical composition of ocean waters changes such as the temperature and pH. The pH of a substance defines how acidic, basic, or neutral it is on a scale from 1-14 by measuring the amount of hydrogen ions, where 7 is the neutral point. If the pH is below 7, the solution is acidic. If the solution is above 7, it is basic. In nature, the atmosphere is composed of about 0.05% of carbon dioxide. However, humans are rapidly using fossil fuels for energy such as coal, oil, and gas since the Industrial Revolution which exponentially increases the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the air. The ocean’s pH can lower and become more acidic if there is an excess of carbon dioxide …show more content…
When the carbon dioxide is absorbed into the water, it reacts and forms carbonic acid which has the chemical formula H2CO3. Carbonic acid eventually separates itself into a hydrogen ion and a bicarbonate ion. As the number of hydrogen ions increase in the water, this lowers the pH which increases the acidity of the oceans. The more hydrogen ions present, the more acidic the water will be.
How does Ocean Acidification impact the Earth?
The ocean’s make up most of the world’s biodiversity, provide humans with food, and maintain numerous food webs. Coral reefs, mollusks, plankton, and sea urchins utilize carbonate ions and calcium to make their shells. However, the presence of hydrogen ions erodes shells and decreases the amount of carbonate present. As a result, this deteriorates coral reefs quicker than they can replenish themselves. This alters the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystem since coral reefs provide shelter to a plethora of marine species, nursing grounds, and sources of food for other organisms. Overall, this cascade will affect not only species in the ocean, but outside of the land since humans utilize the water for food, drinking, and