Question

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an abundant greenhouse gas that is present in high atmospheric concentrations as a result of increasing air pollution. The two processes for the natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere are photosynthesis and dissolution into the oceans. Complete the following chemical equation for the dissolution of CO2 in water. Remember to include the physical states of the products. CO.lag) +H What happens to the pH of the ocean as more CO2 dissolves? Oincreases O decreases O no change

Answer 1

`CO_2(g) +H_2 O(l)   ->  HCO_3 (ac)\\` ; The pH decrease.

Step-by-step explanation:

In general, when a nonmetal oxide reacts with water, the reaction produces an acid (that what is in the equation). Nevertheless, when the acid is produced, this acid gets dissolved by this process:

HCO_3 (ac) -> H^+ + (CO3)^-2\\[/tex]

This means that the concentration oh H^+ and (CO3)^-2, increase in the ocean water. The concentration of the H+ is directly related to the pH as the equation for the pH is pH=-log[H+].

As we have a negative sign in the logarithmic operation the relationship between the pH and the H+ is inversely proportional, in this way if we have more H+, the pH decrease.