Chemistry
The Acid-Base Chemistry of Carbon Dioxide in Ocean Acidification
Quick fact
The ocean absorbs about 30% of the CO₂ released by human activities, and the resulting chemical reactions have caused the ocean's average surface pH to drop by 0.1 units since the industrial revolution—that's a 30% increase in acidity.
Why this is interesting
You've heard that CO₂ is warming the planet, but did you know it's also changing the chemistry of the ocean? Every breath you take, the ocean absorbs a portion of that CO₂, and it's transforming the very water that covers most of our planet.