Ocean Acidification Lab Report

Lesly Quezada P.2 Topic Introduction:

Ocean acidification is the name given to the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by their uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Also it provides 79 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere every day, not only as a result of fossil fuel burning but also of deforestation and production of cement. About 1/3 of the CO2 released in the atmosphere by anthropogenic activities has been absorbed by the ocean. The impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems are still poorly known but one of the most likely consequences is the slower growth of organisms forming calcareous skeletons or shells, such as corals and mollusks.

Experimental Question: What are we trying to find out? How?

We are trying to find out how can the ocean acidification affect the living things in the ocean such as, the plants, habitat, and also the animals. Were also trying to find how to control the ocean acidification before it does more damage to the ocean. Well we can help the ocean to stop the ocean acidification by stop exhaling a lot of carbon dioxide, and don't release to much of smoke coming from the fossil fuels.

Hypothesis: Bubbles Protocol:

In this lab, when my partner Leo start blowing into the bicker, she starts to exhaling all the carbon out of her body and actually blowing CO2 gas. As, she kept blowing in the beaker the color liquid inside starts to change its color. The cause of the color change is because of too much carbon releasing and get's trap inside. Also, the point of this lab is that we are actually measuring the color change of the water by its pH. And it will show us that if the water is too acidic or basic.

Hypothesis: Shells Protocol:

The shells protocol project, when me and my partner Kirk have a two similar beaker but inside the beaker we put sea water vs. vinegar, and we both predict that one of the shell will stay in control variable and one of them will be change cause of the affect of the vinegar. Also, we knew that the seawater has less pH than the vinegar so we knew what's going to happen afterwards we start the lab.

Protocol:
The protocol I used in the bubble lab is the seawater and the hair color. For the shells lab i used the sea water, vinegar and also observing the strips of the shell. For the both experiment the dependent variable is the composition of the water and the independent variable was the reaction of the carbon dioxide. At last, the constant was the amount of liquid we place on the beaker.

Bubble Lab:
Control: pH Color Hot Water: pH Color Cold Water: pH Color Sea Water: pH Color 0 sec 7.5 Blue Green 30 sec 7 Green 1 min 6.5 Yellow Green 1:30 min 6 Yellow 2 min 6 Yellow 0 sec 7.5 Blue/Green 30 sec 8 Dark Green 1 min 7 Light Green 1:30 min 6.5 Yellow Green 2 min 6.5 Same 0 sec 7.5 Blue/Green 30 sec 7.5 Same 1 min 7.5 Same 1:30 sec 7.5 Same 2 min 7 Green 0 sec 8 Dark Green 30 sec 7.5 Light Green 1 min 6.5 Yellow/Green 1:30 min 6.5 Same 2 min 6.5 Same

Shell Lab:
Shell Lab Control (Sea Water) Observation -Shinny -No reaction -Full & Colorfull -Bubbles -Acidic -Sharp Edges -Thin -No Color -Old Looking -Smooth -Thick -Stripped Initial Mass (g) 3.3g Final Mass (g) 3.0g Difference (g) 0.3g

Experimental (Vinegar) High

2.6g 2.4977g

2.1g 1.2g

0.5 1.2977g

Low

1.4224g

1.3g

1.1224g

Post Lab:
1. What gas are you blowing into the water? -(CO2) Carbon Dioxide. 2. What happens to the gas when you blow it into the water? -Gas is being absorbed. 3. How are you measuring change in the water during this lab? -Measuring the change in the water during this lab is by the color changes. 4. What does measuring the pH of the water tell us? -It tells us if the water is acidic or basic.

5. After studying the reactions above, how do you think carbonic acid will affect the pH of salt water? -CO2 + H2O --> H2 CO3 (Carbonic acid). Data Analysis: 1. As you blew through the straw, what were you adding to the water and how did that change the pH? -By adding more carbon. 2. What did the universal indicator tell us about the water? -The universal indicator told us the pH of the water without having to use the test strips. 3. What does this tell us about the effects of carbonic acid in ocean water? -When we placed the carbonic acid to the seawater it slowly turns the water color to acidic type color. 4. Based on the result of your experimental protocol, which factor affects the pH of the water most, temperature or salt? -The most experimental protocol that affects the pH was the temperature.

Conclusion:
My hypothesis was correct, because as he time passes by the more acidic the water gets and the pH balance changes as well. I learned a lot about Ocean acidification, for instance the earth is full of CO2, and due to so much CO2, the water absorbs it, when they combine, they turn into Carbonic Acid. Carbonic acid is really deadly for all marine life, the ocean is a key source for most of our oxygen and essential in our daily lives. We should stop polluting the Earth and try not to use that much CO2. We need to protect ourfuture and each and every one of us can make a difference.