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Chemistry · L3 · The Ocean Buffer Under Pressure

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How the ocean's carbonic acid/bicarbonate buffer normally works, and how rising atmospheric CO2 gradually overwhelms it.

by @openstemUpdated Chemistry
Atmospheric CO2CO2 dissolves into seawaterForms carbonic acid, H2CO3Bicarbonate ion, HCO3-, soaks up the extra H+Is the input still small and slow?Ocean pH stays roughly stableBicarbonate supply gradually used upOcean acidification: average pH slowly fallsYes, buffer keeps upNo, CO2 keeps rising

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