SHELLS PROTOCOL
Introduction
Shelled organisms and organisms that create calcium carbonate skeletons are threatened by the drop in ocean pH related to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Increasing acidity/lowered pH in ocean water not only causes the shells to dissolve, but it reduces the availability of carbonate ions, which animals build their shells and skeletons. It weakens the mussels shells which protect them from predators and without their protective covering, they are vulnerable. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. In areas where most life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater is supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate minerals. Continued ocean acidification is causing many parts of the ocean to become undersaturated with these minerals, which is likely to affect the ability of some organisms to produce and maintain their shells.
If shells are put into an acidic environment, then the shells will become fragile.
Shelled organisms and organisms that create calcium carbonate skeletons are threatened by the drop in ocean pH related to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Increasing acidity/lowered pH in ocean water not only causes the shells to dissolve, but it reduces the availability of carbonate ions, which animals build their shells and skeletons. It weakens the mussels shells which protect them from predators and without their protective covering, they are vulnerable. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. In areas where most life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater is supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate minerals. Continued ocean acidification is causing many parts of the ocean to become undersaturated with these minerals, which is likely to affect the ability of some organisms to produce and maintain their shells.
If shells are put into an acidic environment, then the shells will become fragile.
![Picture](/uploads/5/7/3/5/57353287/364883.jpg?422)
Steps
-Labeled the two untreated shells with E and C to signify them as the experimental and control
-Used a scaled to find the mass of the shells before the experiment to see how much it will change after.
-Poured 150 mL of vinegar into a 500 mL beaker for the experimental shell and 150 mL of salt water into a beaker for the control shell.
-Added the untreated shells into their designated beaker for one day to see the effects of an acidic environment and a regular environment on shells.
-The final mass of the shells were measured and the control's mass increased while the experimental decreased.
-Used textbooks to see how strong or fragile the experimental, control, low exposure, and high exposure shells, by stacking the books on top of each shell until they broke.
-Labeled the two untreated shells with E and C to signify them as the experimental and control
-Used a scaled to find the mass of the shells before the experiment to see how much it will change after.
-Poured 150 mL of vinegar into a 500 mL beaker for the experimental shell and 150 mL of salt water into a beaker for the control shell.
-Added the untreated shells into their designated beaker for one day to see the effects of an acidic environment and a regular environment on shells.
-The final mass of the shells were measured and the control's mass increased while the experimental decreased.
-Used textbooks to see how strong or fragile the experimental, control, low exposure, and high exposure shells, by stacking the books on top of each shell until they broke.
Conclusion
In this lab, shells that were exposed to acidic environments (vinegar) became more fragile and weak compared to those exposed to a regular environment. If the ocean increases in it's acidity then all the shelled organisms and fishes will soon become extinct.
In this lab, shells that were exposed to acidic environments (vinegar) became more fragile and weak compared to those exposed to a regular environment. If the ocean increases in it's acidity then all the shelled organisms and fishes will soon become extinct.