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Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life
All textbooksFreeman 8th EditionCh. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of LifeProblem 11
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Chapter 2, Problem 11

Consider the reaction between carbon dioxide and water to form carbonic acid (CH2O3):


CO2(𝑔)+H2O(𝑙)β‡ŒCH2O3(π‘Žπ‘ž)


In the ocean, carbonic acid immediately dissociates to form a proton and bicarbonate ion, as follows:


CH2O3(π‘Žπ‘ž)β‡ŒCHO3βˆ’(π‘Žπ‘ž)+H+(π‘Žπ‘ž)


As atmospheric CO2 increases, the ocean absorbs more of the gas. Would this sequence of reactions be driven to the left or the right? How would this affect the pH of the ocean?

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Hi everyone. Let's look at our next problem. It says due to increased anthropogenic emissions of CO. Two into the atmosphere. The oceans also absorb a massive amount of C. 02. When the C. 02 reacts with ocean water it forms carbonic acid making the water more blink. So when c. 0. 2 reacts with water it can become carbonic acid H. two c. 03. This is a weak acid and it goes on to disassociate into H Plus science and bicarbonate. H. C. 03 minus bicarbonate ions. Because it's causing an increase in H plus ions or donating H plus ions. It's acting as an acid. So the ocean water will become more acidic since it's H plus iron concentration is increasing. So our answer here is Choice A acidic. When we just look through the other choices, Choice B is basic. It's not becoming more basic. We're not donating O. H minus ions or accepting H plus ions. Those would be the conditions where it would become more basic choice C. Is saline meaning more salty. There's no salt involved here. So it's not becoming more saline choice. D Warm. Well there's no nothing here that would cause the temperature to change. So that's not our answer. So again When Co two reacts with ocean water it forms carbonic acid making the water more choice a acidic. See you in the next video
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Textbook Question

Consider the reaction between carbon dioxide and water to form carbonic acid: CO2(g)+H2O(l)β‡ŒCH2O3(aq) In the ocean, carbonic acid immediately dissociates to form a proton and bicarbonate ion, as follows: CH2O3(aq)+H+(aq)β‡ŒCHO3βˆ’(aq) If an underwater volcano bubbled additional CO2 into the ocean, would this sequence of reactions be driven to the left or the right? How would this affect the pH of the ocean?

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Textbook Question

When H2 and CO2 react, acetic acid can be formed spontaneously while the production of formaldehyde requires an input of energy. Which of these conclusions can be drawn from this observation? a. More heat is released when formaldehyde is produced compared to the production of acetic acid. b.Compared to the reactants that it is formed from, formaldehyde has more potential energy than does acetic acid. c. Entropy decreases when acetic acid is produced and increases when formaldehyde is produced. d. Only acetic acid could be produced under conditions that existed in early Earth.

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Textbook Question

From what you have learned about water, why do coastal regions tend to have milder climates with cooler summers and warmer winters than do inland areas at the same latitude?

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Open Question

The current average pH of our oceans is 8.1. What is the concentration of protons in the oceans? How has the proton concentration changed in our oceans when compared to before the industrial revolution, when the average pH was 8.2? Express this change as a percentage increase.

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Open Question

Stony corals secrete thin layers of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to build the foundation of coral reefs. The relationship between calcium carbonate, carbonic acid, and calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2) is shown below:



CH2O3(π‘Žπ‘ž)+CaCO3(𝑠) β‡Œ Ca(HCO3)2(π‘Žπ‘ž)


Predict what will happen to the calcium carbonate foundation of reefs as CO2 levels rise in the oceans.

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Open Question

Data from the preceding experiment were collected at different times throughout each day over a period of one year under both present-day and estimated year 2100 conditions. Averages from these samples are provided in the following graph

Using the equation in Question 13, what do the positive and negative values indicate in terms of the directionality of this reaction? What implications do these data have on reef stability in the year 2100 if there is no intervention?

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