Question

One idea to mitigate the effects of burning fossil fuels on atmospheric CO2 concentrations is to pipe liquid CO2 into the ocean at depths of 2,500 feet or greater. At the high pressures at such depths, CO2 is heavier than water. What potential effects might result from implementing such a scheme?
a) increased photosynthetic carbon fixation because of the increased dissolved carbon dioxide in the deep water
b) increased carbonate concentrations in the deep waters
c) reduced growth of corals from a change in the carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium
d) no effect because carbon dioxide is not soluble in water
e) both increased acidity of the deep waters and changes in the growth of bottom-dwelling organisms with calcium carbonate shells

Answer 1

Answer:

Option E, Both increased acidity of deep waters and changes in the growth of bottom-dwelling organisms with calcium-carbonate shells

Explanation:

When high concentration of CO2 is pumped into the ocean at its greater depths, CO2 is absorbed extensively by the ocean which changes the pH of ocean water and makes it more acidic. The high acidity of ocean water is due to the release of free hydrogen ions. Excess of hydrogen ions make the carbonate ions less abundant due to which the organism that make carbonate shell will suffer as they may not get sufficient carbonate ions to calcify their outer coverings.  

Hence, option E is correct