The Buffer Zone: Acid-base Chemistry in the World

In this activity, students conduct a short hands-on demonstration that simulates ocean acidification resulting from excess atmospheric carbon dioxide and discuss potential implications of increases in ocean temperatures and acidification due to climate change.

Go To:

http://resources4rethinking.ca/en/resource/the-buffer-zone-acid-base-chemistry-i...

Stefani Hines

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Notes From Our Reviewers

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Teaching Tips

About the Science

Student groups conduct a set of acid-base experiments to see what could happen to the pH of the ocean as carbon dioxide levels rise in the atmosphere.

While these experiments do not show how carbon dioxide is dissolved into the ocean, they do demonstrate the relevant chemistry.

About the Pedagogy

Student worksheet at [link http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/climate/teachingclimate/acid_b...

The experiments in this resource show how acid-base chemistry is relevant to understanding how excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to the acidification of the ocean and its impact on corals and humans.

Technical Details

Links to key article (In Hot Water...) and other resources listed in the student and teacher guides do not work as of 11/2016. Some resources may need to be supplemented with others.

The "In Hot Water" article referred to in the activity is available here [link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2453177/]

Both the Student's and Teacher's Guides are well done. They are well organized and provide appropriate background materials for students and guidance for teachers.