Ocean Acidification (Bubble Protocol) Title: The Effect of water consumption on the pH (absorption of CO2) Topic Introduction- Ocean

acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of of the Earths oceans. This decrease in pH is caused by the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When CO2 from the atmosphere gets into the ocean, it creates carbonic acid. If this continues, the oceans acidity will have a major effect on sea life because high acidity causes the phytoplankton (a keystone specie) shells and other species that need shells to survive to die because they will dissolve. Experimental Question: What will happen to the saltwater after it absorbs CO2 by blowing air into it? Pre-Lab Questions: Bubbles Protocol (answer in complete sentences) 1. What gas are you blowing into the water? The gas that we are blowing into the water is carbon dioxide. 2. What happens to the gas when you blow it into the water? When I blow into the water, the gas will absorb carbon dioxide. 3. How are you measuring change in the water during this lab? I am measuring change in the water during this lab by measuring the change in pH by the color change. 4. What does measuring the pH of the water tell us? Measuring the pH of the water tells us how acidic the water is. 5. After studying the reactions above, how do you think carbonic acid will affect the pH of saltwater? I think carbonic acid will affect the pH of saltwater by lowering its pH, making it acidic. Hypothesis: Bubbles Protocol- If I blow CO2 into the water, the the pH will decrease causing the color to change. Protocol: In this experiment 100 mL of salt water was poured into a 200 mL beaker. 4 drops of universal indicator was then dropped into the beaker and then the top of the beaker was covered with saran wrap. Once the team wanted to start the experiment, a straw was stick through the saran wrap and one of the partners then started to blow through the straw for 2 minutes without stopping. The dependent variable of this experiment was the pH after 2 minutes had past, the independent variable was the the type of water put into the beaker, and the constants were the amount of water put into the beaker, the saran wrap used on the top of the beaker, and the material used to blow in the beaker (straw). Data Table: Saltwater (Control) pH Color Tap Water 0 sec 9 Green 0 sec 30 sec 7 Greenish yellow 30 sec 1 min 7 Greenish yellow 1 min I min 30 sec 8 Yellowish green 1 min 30 sec 2 min 8 Yellowish green 2 min

pH Color Cold pH Color Hot pH Color Graph:

10 Bluish green 0 sec

7 Greenish yellow 30 sec

6 Yellow 1 min 6.5

6 Yellow 1 min 30 sec 6.5 Light green 1 min 30 sec 7.5 Green

6 Yellow 2 min 7 Green 2 min 7.5 Green

Dark green 0 sec 7.5 Blue green

Green 30 sec 7.5 Blue green

Light green 1 min 7.5 Blue green

Data Analysis: (Post-Lab Questions) 1. As you blew through the straw,what were you adding to the water and how did that change the pH?

As my partner blew through the straw, she was adding carbon dioxide and that was decreasing the pH in the saltwater. 2. What did the universal indicator tell us about the water? The universal indicator told us pH of the water. 3. What does this tell us about the effects of carbonic acid in ocean water? This tells us that carbonic acid forms when carbon dioxide is entered into oceans, the water becomes more acidic. 4. Based on the results of your experimental protocol, which factor affects the pH of the water most, temperature or salt? Based on my results of my experiment protocol, salt affected the pH of the water the most. Conclusion: My hypothesis that I stated in the beginning of this lab was If I blow CO2 into the water, the the pH will decrease causing the color to change and I was correct for most of the experiment parts. When my partner blew into the tap water, the pH did decrease, stayed constant, increased a little bit, then stayed constant again. When carbon dioxide was blown into salt water the pH decreased then stayed constant. Cold seawater decreased stayed constant then increased a little bit when carbon dioxide was blown into the water. As for hot seawater, it stayed constant the whole time carbon dioxide was being blown into the water. This lab is another way of showing us what is happening in the ocean. As CO2 goes into the ocean from the atmosphere, it becomes carbonic acid making life for sea life harder (sea life uses some of the CO2 in the ocean, but too much will harm them) Ocean Acidification (Shell Protocol) Title: High Levels of Carbon Dioxide Causes Shells to Dissolve Topic Introduction- Many organisms in the ocean such as phytoplankton which are keystone species of the ocean, have shells. When carbon dioxide enters the ocean it is forms into carbonic acid and the ocean becomes more acidic. The ocean being very acidic is causing the shells to dissolve which is exposing the species that need the shells to predators. The predators then kill them and soon enough all these species will die. Experimental Question: Will shells dissolve in regular salt water or vinegar faster? Pre-Lab Questions: Bubbles Protocol (answer in complete sentences) 1. How do organisms make their shells? What are shells made of? Organisms make their shells by combining calcium and carbon in the ocean. Their shells are made of calcium and carbonate. 2. What do you expect to happen to the shell in an acidic solution such as vinegar? I would expect the shell to dissolve if it was put into an acidic solution such as vinegar. 3. Ware sources of carbon dioxide and which of these sources are most likely to affect ocean pH? A source of carbon dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels. I would think that because there are so many people in this world that the exhaling of all of them combined would be most likely affect ocean pH. Hypothesis: Shells Protocol- If a shell is put into vinegar, then it will dissolve. Protocol: My partner and I measure the shell of the control shell and the experimental shell which was the shell that was going to be put into vinegar. We recorded the data that was given to us and the data that we took. We then put the control shell into saltwater and the

experimental shell into the vinegar for 20 min. We dried the shells off and weighed the shells. The dependent variable was mass of the shells, independent variable was the liquid the shells were out into and the control were the beakers and the amount of liquid put into the beakers. Data Table: Shells Lab Control (Seawater) Observations -Blue and black - Smooth - A little rough around edges -Blue and black -Smooth -Peeling a little -Rough on the edges -Brown Peeling -Brown -Peeling Initial Mass (g) 2.2 g Final Mass (g) 2.3 g Difference (g) -0.1 g

Experimental (Vinegar) High

2.2 g

2.0 g

0.2 g

2.7957 g

2.0 g

0.7957 g

Low

2.7889 g

2.3 g

0.4889 g

Graph: Data Analysis: (Post-Lab Questions) 1. When you immersed the shells in vinegar how did you know that a reaction was happening? I knew the reaction was happening because there were a lot of bubbles around the shell and I could see the shell slowly peeling and turning brown. 2. How did observing the shells in vinegar relate to how animals are affected by a lower pH of ocean water? Observing the shells in vinegar relate to how animals are affected by a lower pH of ocean water because it is going to have a bad effect on organisms like it did on the shells. It doesnt just affect shells, this shows how it is a global problem. 3. How would shelled organisms be affected by a lower pH of ocean water? The shelled organisms would be affected by a lower pH of ocean water by the shells dissolving because the ocean water becomes more acidic. 4. What are the primary functions of shell for these animals? The primary function of shells for these animals is that it provides shelter and protection from predators. 5. Does it cost the animal energy to rebuild or repair their shell? Yes, it does cost the animal energy to rebuild their shell. Conclusion: My hypothesis that I stated at the beginning of this lab was What are the primary functions of shell for these animals? and i was correct. By observing this lab, from the start, you can already tell that the shell in the vinegar was dissolving faster than the shell in saltwater. There were

bubbles forming around the shell that was placed in vinegar and you can slowly see the shell turning brown and being dissolved. This experiment shows that as more carbon dioxide goes into oceans and forms carbonic acid, the more acidic the water is which causes more shells to dissolve. Without shells, some organisms will lose their shelter and their protection that the shells gave them. Without the protection of the shell, organisms will be exposed to predators and this will affect the food chain.