Name:GalileaPatricio

Title:ChangeinwaterpHbytheintroductionofcarbondioxide

TopicIntroduction:
The advancement of the industrial revolution has aided in the rise of acidity levels of
ocean water. The use of cars and burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon
dioxide (CO
2
) into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is then absorbed by ocean where it
dissociates into carbon and oxygen which binds to the water molecules creating carbonic
acid (H
2
CO
3
). Carbonic acid breaks down into hydrogen ions (H
+
) and bicarbonate
(HCO
3

). As more CO
2
is introduced into the ocean water more carbonic acid is created
andreleaseshydrogenionswhichraisestheaciditylevelsinoceanwater.
Marine organisms such as phytoplankton form their shells and skeletons out of
calcium carbonate (CaCO
3
). As the acidity in ocean water rises the ability for these
organisms to build their shells and skeletons becomes difficult. The strength, structure, and
size of the shells are affected by the drop in pH which is happening much faster than these
organismscanevolveand/oradapt.

ExperimentalQuestion:Howdoestheintroductionofcarbondioxideaffectwater?

PreLabQuestions:BubblesProtocol
1. Thegasthatisbeingblownintothewaterincarbondioxide(CO
2
).
2. When carbon dioxide is introduced into the water, it dissolves and binds with the
water molecules (H
2
O) to form carbonic acid (H
2
CO
3
) which then breaks down into
hydrogenions(H
+
)andbicarbonate(HCO
3

).
3. A universal indicator will be added to measure the changes in the water by the
changeinpHcoloration.
4. MeasuringthepHwilldeterminetheaciditylevelofthewater.
5. As CO
2
is introduced into the water carbonic acid will form and break down

releasingH+ionswhichwillrisetheaciditylevelinthewater.

Hypothesis: If carbon dioxide is introduced into salt water, then the pH of the salt water
willdropmakingitacidic.

Protocol:
1. Add100mLofsaltwaterintoa500mLbeaker.
a. Control:roomtemperaturesaltwater.
b. BeakerA:roomtemperaturetapwater.
c. BeakerB:saltwaterinice.
d. BeakerC:heatedsaltwater.
2. PlacebeakerBiniceandbeakerConahotplatefor3minuteseach.
3. Place the beakers onto a white sheet and and then add the universal indicator into
eachbeakeruntilthewaterisgreen.
4. Cover the top of all the beakers with plastic food wrap and perforate the center with
astraw.

5. Begin recording once exhaling begins and record color change every 30 seconds
or2minutes.
6. Comparecolorationwiththeuniversalindicatorcolorchart.

DataTable:
Controlroomtemperaturesaltwater
Time 0seconds 30seconds 60seconds 90seconds 120
seconds
pH 7.0 7.0 6.5 6.56.0 6.0
Color

BeakerAroomtemperaturetapwater
Time 0seconds 30seconds 60seconds 90seconds 120
seconds
pH 7.5 7.0 7.06.5 6.5 6.0
Color

BeakerBcoldsaltwater
Time 0seconds 30seconds 60seconds 90seconds 120
seconds
pH 7.5 7.5 6.0 5.5 5.5
Color

BeakerChotsaltwater
Time 0seconds 30seconds 60seconds 90seconds 120
seconds
pH 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.5 6.5
Color

Graph:

DataAnalysis:PostLabQuestions
1. Carbon dioxide (CO
2
) was being added in through the straw and into the water
causing the pH of the water to change color over the 2 minute time period. The
carbon dioxide blown into the water bonded with the water molecules to form
carbonic acid (H
2
CO
3
). The carbonic acid broke down releasing hydrogen ions (H
+
)
whichrosetheacidityofthewater.
2. The universal indicator demonstrated the change in coloration based on the pH of
the water. As the pH dropped the color shifted from green in the beginning to yellow
greenattheendofthetimeperiod.
3. Excessive amounts of CO
2
absorbed by ocean water forms copious amounts of

carbonic acid which rises acidity levels in the ocean. Although carbonic acid also
creates bicarbonate, the hydrogen ions make ocean water acidic making marine
organismssuchasphytoplanktonunabletoformtheirshells.
4. Based on the results of the experimental protocols, the factor that mostly affects the
pH of the water is temperature. Beaker B was placed in ice for 3 minutes, the cold
water had a lower pH than the other beakers which also contained salt water except
forbeakerA.

Conclusion:
The initial hypothesis, if carbon dioxide is introduced into salt water, then the pH of
the salt water will drop making it acidic, is correct. A universal indicator was incorporated
into each beaker to observe the change in coloration. Carbon dioxide was added into the
water of each beaker through a straw, the coloration of the water was record every 30
seconds for a time period of 2 minutes. The control had minimal changes in pH compared
to the pH in beaker A. Beaker A contained tap water which allowed for more carbon
dioxide to bind with the water molecules and create carbonic acid. The control contained
saltwater, the salt within the water took space making the carbon dioxide more difficult to
bind with the water molecules. Beakers B and C also experienced changes in pH, although
beaker B had a greater change than the other beakers. Beaker B was placed in ice for 3
minutes prior to receiving CO
2
, making the pH to drops and acidity levels rise much more
thantheotherbeakers.

PreLabQuestions:ShellsProtocol
1. Marine organisms such as phytoplankton and crustaceans make their shells from
calciumcarbonate(CaCO
3
).
2. A shell placed in an acidic environment such as vinegar will cause the shell to
degrade or dissolve. The strength and structure of the shell can be compromised in
anacidicenvironment.
3. The sources of carbon dioxide come from live organisms such as animals plants.
The greatest contributor of carbon dioxide, however, come from human activities.
Theburningoffossilfuels,forexample,ismostlikelytoaffecttheoceanspH.

Hypothesis:ShellsProtocol
Ifashellisinanacidicenvironment,thentheintegrityoftheshellwillbedegraded.

Protocol:
1. Labeltheshellsforexperimentalandcontroluseandrecordinitialobservations.
2. Recordtheinitialmassofeachshell.
3. Add150mLofvinegarinonebeakerand150mLofsaltwaterintoanotherbeaker.
a. The beaker with salt water will be the control and the beaker with vinegar will
betheexperimentalbeaker.
4. Placetheshellsintothebeakersandleavetheshellssubmergedfor30minutes.
5. Recordobservationsoftheshellsat0,15,and30minutes.
6. After 30 minutes remove the shells from their beakers and dry before taking their
finalmass.
7. Record final mass and calculate the differences for each shell, afterwards test the
shellsstrength.

DataAnalysis:(PostLabQuestions&DataTable)

1. Whentheshellwasimmersedinvinegartheshellbegantobubbleprofusely.
2. Observing the shells in vinegar is different than what it would be in ocean water. The
vinegar is much more acidic while the ocean pH gradually decreases a little bit a
time, however, the effects of a shells degradation in an acidic environment is clearly
evident.
3. Shelled organisms in an acidic environment are unable to properly form their shells
and skeletons. The organisms would become smaller as the structure and strength
oftheirshellsbecomedegraded.
4. Shells function as exoskeletons which protects the organism from predators and
other factors such as sunlight. Shells can also aid the organism to establish a home
andattractmatesforreproduction.
5. Organisms use energy to rebuild or repair a shell as they have acquire all the
necessarysubstancesandconvertthoseintousableformsfortheirshells.

Conclusion:
The hypothesis for the shells protocol, if a shell is in an acidic environment, then the
integrity of the shell will be degraded, is correct. The shell placed in the beaker containing
vinegar had an initial mass of 3.4g and a final mass of 3.2g. The control had no changes in
mass with an initial and final mass of 3.4g. Throughout the experiment, the shell in the
vinegar bubbled while the control had no activity. After the shells were submerged for 30
minutes and weighed, the shells underwent a strength test with textbooks. The experimental
shell was able to withstand 6 books while the control withstood 8 books. The acidic
environment of the vinegar caused the shell to become much brittle than the shell in salt
water.