pH levels in lakes and ocean

By: Chris WoodChem 12

30/05/2010

What is pH? p = potential H=hydrogen pH is the acid/alkaline balance.In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution. It approximates but is not equal to p[H], the negative logarithm of the molar concentration of dissolved hydronium ions (H3O+); a low pH indicates a high concentration of hydronium ions, while a high pH indicates a low concentration. Pure water is neutral, and can be considered either a very weak acid or a very weak base.(1)

What is pH?

pH levels of oceans

Scientists have discovered that global warming causes the pH in our oceans to drop. Many organisms in the ocean require a certain level of pH and when it drops too low organisms grow weak and die off.

pH levels of oceans

The pH levels of oceans have a dramatic effect on environment but only when the pH levels are not stable. If we continue the path of global warming, pH levels will continue to drop as a result, could worsen our current state of global warming by killing off the organisms in the sea that filter out some of our global CO₂ emissions.

Acid rain in the ocean

Oceans are generally larger than lakes so they are definitely not as affected by acid rain as lakes are. In spite of this, acid rain can still be quite devastating for the costal regions of oceans. They cause a lowering of pH and a reduction of carbon in certain sea life.

The lowered amount of carbon means that organisms such as corals, sea urchins, and some types of plankton lose the ability to make their hard outer shells. These types of organisms are necessary to provide-

food and living conditions for other ocean creatures. Their death could have serious effects on ocean ecosystems. For instance, corals form reefs that provide habitat for a substantial number of marine organisms.(11)

Ph levels of lakes

•As you can see from the graph this particular lake has pH levels varying from 8.2 -9.5. Most lakes have an average pH of 7-9 so we can assume this one has not been affected by acid rain.

•The pH levels of lakes are mostly affected by acid rain.

•Acid rain can prove to be very dangerous to fish life especially when the ph drops below 6.

How acid rain is createdAcid rain has higher levels of hydrogen ions than normal rain, and has lower pH levels than normal rain. Acid rain is mostly caused by these three main compounds: ammonium, carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur. They all react with the water molecules in the atmosphere which produces over acidic rain. Sulphuric oxide is one of the most over produced emissions so governments are attempting to reduce its production. Ironically humans are not all to blame for the production of sulphuric oxide, it can also be caused naturally by the energy produced by lightning strikes, or by volcanic eruptions.

Creation of acid rainThe General James M. Gavin plant on the Ohio River. Note the clouds of Sulphuric Acid coming from the vertical column stacks (the emissions from the Cooling Towers are just water vapour).

Creation of acid rain

•Acid rain is a deposition of wet and dry acidic component also called “acid deposition”.

•Distilled water has a neutral pH of 7.

• Normal rain (unpolluted rain) has a slightly acidic pH of about 5.2-5.6

• Acid rain itself is obviously much more acidic, its range is from 3.2 -4.8

Creation of acid rain

For a while industries had short towers; studies showed that there were many problems locally with the smaller towers so eventually factories constructed taller smoke towers. Sadly these taller towers caused pollutants to last longer and be carried farther, causing a wider region of damage to ecosystems.

Most of the acid rain is caused by sulphur and nitrogen that humans created by producing electricity, combusting coal, and using cars. The gases from most factories can be carried hundreds of kilometres in the atmosphere before they are changed to acid rain clouds.

Acid rain and its affect on lakes

When lakes and rivers become more acidic, underwater life is reduced; acid rain has eliminated insect life and entire fish species. Acid rain affects each individual lake and river differently, therefore giving some species of fish a chance to survive. As pH lowers less than five, most fish eggs will not hatch and lower pHs can kill adult fish. "Of the lakes and streams surveyed, acid rain caused acidity in 75 percent of the lakes and about 50 percent in the rivers and streams”(12)

Acid rain and its affect on lakespH level tolerance of certain aquatic life

He can survive the longest as the acidity in water increases.

CONCLUSION

Acid rain is a huge environmental problem, both in lakes and in oceans. Human activity is largely to blame for this pollution and this destruction of fish and plant life.

Scientists must continue to team up with government and industries to come up with a more permanent solution to the issue of acid rain.

Bibliography:

1. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-carbon.htm2. /wiki/File:Origins_of_acid_rain.svg3. /wiki/Ammonium4. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Gavin_Plant.JPG5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_solution6. /wiki/Brook_trout7. /wiki/Intermolecular8. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Waterspecies.gif9. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Waterspecies.gif10. www.wikipedia.com11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain12. “The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website”13. http://science.howstuffworks.com/acid-rain1.htm