Assignment 3 - Acidification

(Total: 31 Marks)
Preparation:

AttendtheAssignment3Tutorial+Readovertheslides

Worth:

7.5%ofyourfinalmark

Date Assigned:

MondayJuly11th

Date Due:

MondayJuly18th,intheEnvirSc1C03dropbox,onthe2ndfloorof
GSBnolaterthan4:30p.m.

Introduction
Theoceanisacarbondioxide(CO2)sink,meaningittakesupCO2throughchemicalandbiological
processes.AsmoreCO2isreleasedintotheatmospherethroughhumanindustrialactivity,more
CO2isabsorbedbytheocean.Thishasresultedintheoceanbecomingmoreacidic(decreasein
pH),aprocessknownasacidification.

AcidificationisamajorenvironmentalconcernasadecreaseinoceanpHmakesitmoredifficult
forshellfish,corals,andplanktontobuildtheircalciumcarbonate(CaCO3)exoskeletonsandcan
even result in their dissolution. These organisms are critically important in maintaining the
oceansfoodwebs.Iftheoceancontinuestobecomemoreacidic,andthesefoodwebscollapse,
thiscouldalsohaveasubstantialimpactonhumanpopulations,whorelyontheoceansasa
sourceoffood.

Acidrainisanotheracidificationprocessthataffectsinlandaquaticandterrestrialecosystems.
Industrialactivityhasresultedintheformationofacidsinrainwater,includingnitricacid(HNO3),
nitrous acid (HNO2) and most notably sulphuric acid (H2SO4). Acid rain can destroy building
materialsandstatues,decreasebiologicaldiversityinecosystemsandaffectentirefoodchains.

AcidityismeasuredusingthepHscalewhichisafunctionoftheconcentrationofHydrogenIons
(H+)insolution.Thescaleislogarithmic,meaningthatevenseeminglysmallchangesinpHare
substantial.Forexample,waterwithapH4is10timesmoreacidicthanwaterwithapH5and
100timesmoreacidicthanwaterwithapH6.Theapplicationofmorebasic(higherpH)materials
suchascalciumandmagnesiumrichsubstancescanbeusedtoneutralizeacidinsoilsandaquatic
ecosystems.Thisprocessisknownasliming.

Inthisassignment,youwillwatchavideoonOceanAcidificationandansweraseriesof
questions.YouwillalsocompleteaseriesofcalculationstodeterminehowmuchCaCO3must
beaddedtosoilafteranacidprecipitationeventinordertoneutralizethesoilacidity.


Assignment3Acidification EnvirSc1C03DATE:____________________

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STUDENTNAME

Video Questions

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STUDENT#

(17 Marks)

1. HowishumanindustrialactivityimpactingtheoceanspH?(3Marks)

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2. Howwilloceanacidificationimpactoceanicspecies?(3Marks)

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3. Whyarecoralreefsindoublejeopardy?

(2Marks)

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4. Howcanwemaketheoceansmoreresilientonalocalscale?List3ways.(3Marks)

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5. ListthreealternativeenergysourcesthatcanbeusedtodecreaseCO2pollution.(3Marks)

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6. ListthreethingsthatyouasanindividualcandotodecreaseCO2emissions.(3Marks)

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Acid Neutralization/Liming
(14 Marks)
Completethestepsinthespacesbelow.Showallofyourwork!Forhelp,seetheLabpodcast.

7. 500mmofpH2.2rainfallson200mx400mofsoil.Completethestepsbelowtodetermine
howmuchCaCO3mustbeaddedtothesoiltoneutralizetherainfall.

Step 1:CalculatethevolumeofrainwaterthathasfallenonthesoilinLitres(L).Reportyour
valueasawholenumber.

(2Marks)

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Step 2:CalculatetheconcentrationofH+ionsinmoles/L.Reportyourvaluewith2significant
digits.

(1Mark)

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Step 3:CalculatethetotalnumberofmolesofH+ions.Reportyourvalueasawholenumber.

(2Marks)
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Step 4: CalculatehowmanykilogramsofCaCO3isneededtoneutralizetheH+ions.Report
yourvalueasawholenumber.

(5Marks)

Molecular weight of CaCO3:______________________________________________________________________

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Kilograms of CaCO3 required:___________________________________________________________________

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8. Whyare2valenceelectronsaccountedforintheequationinStep4above?(2marks)

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9. IfsodiumHydroxide,NaOH,(whereNa++OHNaOH)wasusedtoneutralizetheacid
raininsteadofCaCO3,howmanyhydrogenionswouldeachmoleculeofNaOHneutralize?
Explainyourreasoning.

(2marks)

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