In addition to the famous impacts of atmospheric carbon on global warming, there is an equally worrisome effect of carbon dioxide on the oceans: ocean acidification (or OA for short). Here at I2SEA we have a series of resources about OA, including Our Acidifying Ocean, which is an introductory activity and virtual lab (note: now mobile compatible!).
A student suggested that we start a conversation topic about OA, and here it is! Have you heard about Ocean Acidification? If so, are you worried about it? How do you think we can best raise awareness about it among your fellow students and the general public? Have you seen particularly good links or films about OA that you would like to share? What are you doing to address the problem?
Ocean Acidification >
Interactive Experiment
A way to spread awareness as well as see how the acidification of oceans in action is by conducting the following experiment. The materials you will need are water, a kind of acidic substance (lemon juice, baking soda, etc.), some jars, and some kind of shell of a sea creature (oyster shell, clam shell, etc.), make sure no animal is inside! In different the different jars place the shell inside the jar and add water, in different jars you can change the pH level of the water by adding your chosen substance. In the jars with higher pH, the shells will become thinner, reflecting how the high pH levels in our oceans affect the sea life.