Reference no: EM133405118
Questions:
1. Describe in your own words two key properties of water that relate to the function of oceans.
2. The content mentioned salts and how they are commonly dissolved in ocean water. Describe the relationship in terms of ions and water molecules that allow this process to happen (in your own words of course!)
3. What happens to the to concentration of oxygen (O2) in sea water from the surface, at depths of 500m or so and then in deep waters?
The Chemistry of Water
4. Which is more electronegative, oxygen or hydrogen? What does this do to both elements in the molecule?
5. Hydrogen bonds are key to the unique properties of water. How does this impact the boiling point (and thus ability to deal with temperature differently) for water molecules?
Carbon Dioxide & Shelled Organisms
6. This is a complex topic, but an important one. In the tutorial, we see that carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves in seawater to form an intermediary, carbonic acid (CO3-2). In the formula for this molecule we can see that one thing that is happening is that oxygen is breaking away from water and joining carbon dioxide. What happens to the hydrogen from those broken water molecules?
7. Carbonate ions (CO3-2) are not a bad thing! They can join with Calcium ions (Ca+2) to perform what important function?
8. However, hydrogen ions can compete with the process you mention above. Ultimately, more CO2 dissolved in sea water will result in more hydrogen ions. What impact does an increase in Hydrogen ions (H+) have on shelled organisms.
Summary of Normal vs. Ocean Acidification Conditions
9. The formula for how these chemical molecules are used in conditions with normal and increased levels of CO2 are complex, but this is the same process explained above put into a single figure. We are not going to focus on the complex relationships between chemicals in this figure, but rather the effects. What are two key impacts of an increased CO2 level at the surface of the ocean?
Carbon dioxide and pH
10. Under the "Checking In" section that evaluates your understanding of the pH scale, copy and paste all statements here that are TRUE:
The Keeling Curve
11. Select the "ONE MONTH" option along the top blue bar to see how the concentration of carbon dioxide varies in a single month period. Is there a wide fluctuation in values? Then select "ONE YEAR" and view the data and again select "TWO YEARS" And view the data. Describe any trends you notice with respect to the changes in carbon dioxide within a year.
12. Now view "FULL RECORD," "1700-PRESENT," and "2K YEARS" (2,000 years). Describe how the current 50 years or so compares to this historical information.
13. Lastly, click on "800K YEARS" - does the record indicate that this is the only time in history of the Earth that we have experience a peak in carbon dioxide concentrations? In your opinion, how do you interpret our current situation in terms of carbon dioxide concentration in comparison to a larger historical record?