Ocean Acidification

Presented in an informal style of writing, “What Is Ocean Exploration and Why Is It Important?” inform its readers about the importance of researching and discovering the unknown ocean. It explains how much work is needed for the documentation of the ocean in varies areas, at the same time it addresses that scientist will be able to better understand the unknown oceans. For example, the time needed to obtain and study the result, as well as answer how the change in atmosphere will cause the ocean to react and affect life. The information obtain will also provide the baseline for scientist, researcher and government agencies to make important and dangerous decisions for the future. Sometime during research amazing things happen and new resources may be revealed. Besides informing about the ocean researching, the article also has a background idea as it is trying to encourage and get its readers interested into joining the field of ocean researching by emphasizing the role the ocean plays and how it will help ensure that ocean resources are well managed for future generations to enjoy.

Ocean Acidification is a process that occurs everyday and majorly affects our planet, but most people don’t even realize it exists. Though it can technically be argued that Ocean Acidification has some benefits for the planet, most of the time the effects of this process are very poor and negatively affect the entire world around us. Human evolution has played a major role in contributing to Ocean Acidification. Whenever humans use energy we release Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere or also known as CO2. This can be in the form of burning fossil fuels from the ground or the removal of national forest by burning. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, which means whenever we can emit it in large quantities or unnatural amounts it can have negative effects on the atmosphere. These high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere result in climate change and more specifically Ocean Acidification. Ocean Acidification occurs when excess Carbon Dioxide is absorbed into the ocean. When this process takes place it can completely disturb the chemical balances of the water. For example, it can reduce pH levels, Biodiversity, and the abundance of calcifying species.

The Earth is a very miniscule piece in a much grander puzzle called the universe. Within that tiny rock in space are complicated systems that help to sustain life. The atmosphere surrounding us is a mixture of many different components. It is composed of roughly 78% nitrogen, about 21% oxygen, and about 1% other, which includes carbon, the most fundamental element on Earth (Hopkins 2010). Carbon is present in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (Hopkins 2010). Carbon dioxide may have a small presence in the earth 's atmosphere but it plays an important role in the processes within the ocean, having a huge influence over the chemistry of seawater carbonate and its equilibrium process (Hopkins 2010). One way it impacts the ocean is via a process called ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide is a compound that can be found in nature, but the elevated carbon dioxide levels caused by humans can have a lot of unintended consequences, particularly to the seawater carbonate chemistry (Hopkins 2010).

As Dr. Stamper discussed, ocean acidification is a major factor that affects the environment. Both of these have had huge effects on the health and vitality of coral reefs. Since the Industrial Revolution, the pH of the ocean has decreased by 30% and this will have ramifications on the health of humans, food supplies and others. Dr. Stamper mentions himself that we are only focusing on calcium molecules in the acidification reactions instead of all the molecules and how they affect the organisms around them. He said changes in the normal calcification can lead to decrease muscle mass and decreased feeding which can harm the vitality of species in the ocean. He suggests gaining more control of our water usage since it generates 3% of our energy produced. In conjunction, he recommends people take personal steps in water conservation and energy conservation by buying energy efficient lights, low-flow toilets or dual-flush toilets, and gaining control of your heating costs by installing a low-energy system.

Ocean acidification describes how the chemistry of the ocean is changing as a result of the increase in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The relationship between climate change and ocean acidification is as CO2 emissions end up dissolving into the ocean it makes the ocean more acidic. In addition to making the ocean more acidic it also reduces the availability of certain ions in the sea water. One of those being the carbonate ion and that’s what corals and other organisms need to build their shells are being impacted. Climate change is affecting the growth rates of a lot of organisms for example coral, microalgae, and plankton. Corals, microalgae, and plankton grow more slowly as the oceans become more acidic that there could be important

Ocean acidification has numerous causes, but there are even more effects than there are causes. The many effects have an impact on not only marine animals but humans too. Some of these effects include issues associated with coral reefs, organisms under the sea, and human businesses. This problem that seems to be a simple issue is an important source of loss of sea creatures and income. This is the main reason that we need to control ocean acidification.The effects of ocean acidification both above and below the ocean’s surface are detrimental to the environment.

Ocean acidification is a bad consequence. Which is excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Which we don't see or feel because its effects are happening underwater. Ocean acidification is known for being the “climate change’s equally evil twin.” At least one quarter of the carbon dioxide released by burning coal also by oil and gas. They don’t go into the air instead it dissolves into the ocean. Ocean warming is how the atmosphere affects oceans, and oceans influence the atmosphere. It might be a great thing scientists thought. Less carbon dioxide in the air to warm up the planet, scientists said. This has slowed warming. Many changes came at the ocean’s chemistry. As the air temperature rises up, oceans absorb some of this heat and become warmer also. The water becomes more acidic when carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater. It drops the ocean’s pH. Scientists didn’t worry about this process. Reason being, they always assumed that rivers carried enough dissolved chemicals. Which come from rocks to the ocean to keep the ocean’s pH stable. Carbon dioxide has been quickly dissolving. Natural buffering hasn’t even been able to keep up. Resulting in dropping pH in surface waters. The surface layers mix into deep water. The entire ocean is affected. The future is unpredictable

obal Warming is caused by the built up of carbon dioxide and other air pollutions. These absorb sunlight and solar radiation, trapping the heat which causes global temperatures to rise. Ocean Acidification is caused when the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the air causing it to be acidic. Scientist believe that the ocean has absorbed about half of the excess carbon dioxide in the past 200 years. This has caused a drop of 0.1 in ph. Since the pH scale is logarithmic, this change represents a thirty percent increase in acidity.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, when humans began burning fossil fuel in large quantities, the world’s ocean water has gradually become more acidic even though this problem have only been noticed in the last decade. “Enough fossil fuels have been burned to emit more than 500 billion tons of Carbon Dioxide.” (National Geographic 2014) Of those 500 billion tons, 30% of the carbon dioxide dissolved into the oceans based on a research project that collected more than 77,000 seawater samples around the world. While this process might be beneficial for slowing down climate change, it can lead to ocean acidification, which is another global issue that’s threatening our world.

Ocean acidification is caused when the CO₂ from the air enters into the ocean and bonds with sea water creating a toxic acid called carbonic acid. Carbonic acid reduces the natural pH levels of the water which as a result has been increasing the ocean acidity by 30%. This reduces the calcium concentration in the water, making it hard for crustaceans like crabs and prawns to build their shell. This means that they are more vulnerable to predators, and we can all figure out what happens when an entire species is vulnerable to predators. Air pollution is not the only factor that causes the water to become polluted. In fact, there are many more including fertilizer that gets washed into the oceans and also oils spills. According to the Water Project, 783 million people worldwide do not have access to clean and safe water, and according to the Worldwatch Institute, approximately 450 million kilograms of pesticides U.S. farmers use every year have now contaminated almost all of the United States' streams and rivers, and the fish living in them.

Ocean Acidification is the process of Carbon Dioxide entering the Ocean causing it to change its chemical structure. This leads to it become more acidic, affecting Marine and other living organisms negatively. The cause of this Global phenomenon are Power Plants who are producing 10 billion tons of CO2 every year, according to Science Daily. However, the impact of acidification does not stop there, organisms with Calcium Carbonate shells including crabs and mollusks have the potential to go extinct due to their shells being dissolved. But, the reality is that this does not just affect animals, humans can also be in great danger as well because of the Food Chain. These small organisms provide for fish which is a stable protein in many third

Ocean acidification is a phenomenon whereby progressively less alkaline the ocean, the surface waters of the oceans is currently slightly alkaline where the average degree of concentration of hydrogen ions nearly 8.1. And haven't experienced marine acidification rate like this for several million years. ocean acidification due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in the oceans. And this process largely independent of climate, despite the high temperature of the sea

The oceans of the earth are a massive part of the natural cycles that make this planet habitable. They regulate global temperatures, absorb carbon dioxide, provide a home for millions of plants and animals that make up various levels of the food chain, and so much more. They are a resource given for us to use and benefit from, however, it is also a resource that needs to be protected. It is the fountain of life for the planet and drastic changes to the makeup of the oceans could be detrimental to life as we know it. Ocean acidification is a problem which has come to light in the last decade, but is becoming increasingly concerning to many scientists (1). In this essay I will attempt to direct your attention to some of the

The issue on ocean acidification is popularizing but what exactly is ocean acidification? It occurs when carbon dioxide is absorbed in the ocean’s waters from then on a series of chemical reactions take place which lowers the ocean’s water pH, carbonate ion concentration, as well as the saturation states of the calcium carbonate minerals ( “What is Ocean Acidification?”). Since we are addressing the issue on ocean acidification we will touch on the marine creatures that are harmed and will possibly be harmed due to the acidification of the seawater. A background of the chemicals involved as well the beneficial usage of the chemicals will be described in order to address the solution to this environmental problem.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that we exhale in our daily lives. Plants use carbon dioxide to create oxygen that all mammals use. However, carbon dioxide can also change the chemistry of the ocean, this is often referred to as ocean acidification. The excess carbon dissolves into oxygen in the water, producing a chemical called carbonic acid. This acid causes the ocean to become more acidic. In the eighteenth century, the pH was 8.07 which was slightly basic. Currently, the pH is around 8.01 this is about a twenty-five percent increase in acidity. (National geographic) While this slight change may not seem outrageous, it is causing multiple marine life struggles. The acid melts the shells of pteropods causing a low supply of food that would support larger fish.