Question: Write Components Of A Lab Experiment To Investigate How Vinegar (an Acid) And Affects Sea Shells. Be Able To Explain Your Independent Variables, Dependent Variables, Control Group, And Your Set Of Constants (conditions That Do Not Change). Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: Control Group: Constants (name At Least Two): What Is Your Hypothesis? …

Introduction Ocean acidification represents a direct chemical change to global ocean chemistry in response to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is responsible for many of today’s climate change-related issues. Because CO2 is responsible for global warming and ocean acidification, this essential gas gets a bad reputation. However, plants need CO2 for photosynthesis, so it is a valuable component to our atmosphere. Historically, there has been a balance between CO2 being generated (respiration; weathering of rocks; fires; volcanic eruptions), and CO2 being taken in (photosynthesis; rock deposition). The problem now is that CO, is being released into the atmosphere faster than it can be absorbed through natural processes. It is excess carbon dioxide that is the problem. Ocean acidification occurs when CO2 is absorbed into the water at a high rate. It reacts with water molecules (H20) to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). This compound then breaks down into a hydrogen ion (H+) and bicarbonate (HCO3). The presence of all these hydrogen ions is what decreases the pH, or acidifies the ocean. This can be summarized in the chemical equation: CO2 + H2O → (H+) + (HCO3) The saga does not end here, unfortunately. That carbonate molecule (HCO3) is going to go on to cause trouble for marine organisms. Background: The burning of fossil fuels for energy production, manufacturing, and transportation has driven the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to levels 30% greater than prior to the industrial revolution. Higher atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide have resulted in increasing amounts of carbon dioxide dissolving in the ocean leading to the reduction in pH or increase in acidity of the ocean, also known as “ocean acidification”. It should be noted that the ocean is not acidic (pH <7), however the trend in declining pH has been observed and is referred to as “ocean acidification”. As shown in the chemical formulas, when carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves in seawater, it creates carbonic acid, which releases bicarbonate ions (HCO3) and hydrogen (H+) ions into the water. The hydrogen ions make the seawater more acidic (lowering its pH). In addition, some of the hydrogen ions react with carbonate ions (CO2?) already in the seawater to create more bicarbonate. This reduces the amount of carbonate (an important mineral for building shells) dissolved in the seawater. The impacts of ocean acidification and lower carbonate ion concentrations on marine ecosystems include reduced growth of organisms that form calcareous skeletons or shells, such as corals, pteropods (swimming snails) and bivalves (such as oysters, clams and mussels). Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, about one third of the CO2 released by human activities has been absorbed by the world’s ocean which plays a key role in moderating climate change. Without the ocean absorbing CO2, the CO2 in the atmosphere would be much higher, potentially increasing the effects of global climate change.