Final answer:
The correct answer is option (a). The ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide impacts global climate and weather, due to its role in the carbon cycle and the greenhouse effect. Carbon emissions from human activities lead to increased atmospheric CO₂ levels, altering global temperatures and causing ocean acidification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oceans act as a carbon sink by absorbing CO₂ from the atmosphere, which can form carbonic acid and further ionize to carbonate and bicarbonate ions in water.
This exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and the oceans plays a significant role in controlling the amount of CO₂ in the air, affecting the greenhouse effect and, subsequently, the Earth's temperature.
Rising CO₂ levels due to human activities like burning fossil fuels result in increased global temperatures, alterations in weather patterns, and ocean acidification, which threaten marine ecosystems and food webs.
Therefore, the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide has a profound impact on global climate change and weather patterns.
This intricacy is part of the reason why protecting our oceans is crucial in the fight against climate change and why reducing carbon emissions is essential to preserve our planet's environment and climate stability.