58: Ocean's Chemistry

Question 1

What is ocean acidification?

Answer 1

as more carbon dioxide enters the ocean, the seawater pH goes down, increasing the ocean acidity.

Question 2

What are ecological benefits from oceans?

Answer 2

• oceans cover 2/3 of our planet
• provide half of the oxygen we breathe
• moderate our climate

Question 3

What are economic benefits from oceans?

Answer 3

• provide jobs, medicine, food
• provides 20% of protein to feed the entire world population

Question 4

What is the relation between CO2 in atmosphere and CO2 in oceans and the pH of sea water?

Answer 4

as CO2 in atmosphere increases, the CO2 in the ocean increases, this leads to a decrease in the pH of sea water (increase in ocean acidity)

Question 5

In which country does the speaker work? In which ocean?

Answer 5

Ireland in the North Atlantic

Question 6

What methodology is used to test ocean acidification?

Answer 6

1. lower an instrument over the side of the ship that contain sensors at the bottom that gives information about the surrounding water (temperature or dissolved oxygen)
2. collect seawater samples in large bottles (start at the bottom and take samples at regular intervals right up to the surface)
3. take the seawater back on the deck and either analyze them on the ship or in the lab for the different chemical parameters

Question 7

How much ocean acidification is expected by 2100?

Answer 7

expecting an increase in ocean acidity of 170%

Question 8

What is the rate of acidification?

Answer 8

Is 10x faster than any acidification in the oceans for over 55 million years

Question 9

What lessons can be derived from ocean acidification effects on the past?

Answer 9

natural ocean acidification event in the past coincided with a mass extinction of many marine species

Question 10

What is the relation between ocean acidification, carbon ions, marine species, and human food?

Answer 10

as ocean acidity increases, carbonate ions decrease, making it harder for species to make their shells, at lower levels, the shells could even dissolve, affecting the food chain up to our food.

Question 11

What are carbonate ions?

Answer 11

building blocks for marine species to make their shells

Question 12

What is the relation between ocean acidification and corals?

Answer 12

as ocean acidification increases, the coral structure of corals will dissolve
- it could completely dissolve which is bad because a lot of marine life depend on the support of the coral reefs