CO₂ absorbed by the oceans combines with water to form H2CO3. Which of the following will result from increasing the concentration of H2CO3 in the oceans?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When CO2 is absorbed by the oceans, it forms carbonic acid (H2CO3) which can lower the pH of the water. Therefore, increasing the concentration of H2CO3 in the oceans will cause the pH to decrease even more. This is because carbonic acid is a weak acid, and it will dissociate into hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-), thereby increasing the concentration of H+ and decreasing the pH. As the pH decreases, the concentration of carbonate ions (CO32-) will also decrease, because they will combine with H+ ions to form bicarbonate ions (HCO3-).

CO₂ Absorbed by the Oceans Combines with Water to Form