Fossil fuels are nonrenewable energy sources used to generate electricity, heating, and transportation over the past two decades. The extraction and use of fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas contribute to the carbon dioxide in the air.
We use these fuels to produce energy in various manufacturing companies, to produce electricity, and to power big engines. We also use them to cook and provide heat when it's cold. We also use them to power transport systems like buses, cars, airplanes, and ships.
Burning crude oil, coal, and natural gas produces enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, making it the most significant contributor to global warming. In 2022, 81% of the United States' energy comes from coal, natural gas, and crude oil, so you can imagine the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere daily.
Fossil fuels contribute the most CO2 to the air. In 2023, the fossil fuel industry released 36.8 billion tons of carbon, with the United States being the world’s second carbon emitter after China4.
Username: Meherbaan Published on 2024-12-10 13:10:35 ID NUMBER: 126447
Ocean acidification results from a chemical reaction caused by the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Many human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, various land uses, and manufacturing practices, release tons of C02 into the atmosphere. These carbon emissions don’t stay in the atmosphere.
Plants and the oceans absorb carbon dioxide. The world’s oceans absorb 30% of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, causing an increase in ocean acidity. An increase in the ocean’s pH directly impacts excess carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels. The ocean absorbs one-third of the carbon released from burning fossil fuels.
The pH scale is from 0 to 14; anything over 7 is alkaline, and anything below 7 is acidic. More hydrogen ions lead to higher acidity and a lower pH. As seawater absorbs carbon dioxide, it forms carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid (H2CO3) is a weak acid that separates into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions, increasing its acidity.
Before the industrial revolution began, seawater's pH was 8.2. In the 21st century, it dropped by 0.1 pH units to 8.1. Scientists predict surface ocean waters will become more acidic by 21002, falling to 7.8. 7.8 makes the ocean 150 times more acidic.
Human activities that produce carbon dioxide cause ocean acidification. Some examples are deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and burning fossil fuels.
Deforestation is one of the significant causes of carbon dioxides in the atmosphere. We cut down trees and clear forest areas to make room for buildings, agricultural land use, construction, and manufacturing purposes, leading to the absence of trees and greenery to soak carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Most of the farmlands on earth used to be part of a great expanse of forests. China lost most of its forested areas in the past 4000 years, while we cut down most of the trees in North America from the 1600s to the 1870s for construction, timber, and agriculture. We are destroying most of the remaining tropical rainforests to construct roads connecting inaccessible regions.
Forests and other green ecosystems play a unique role in preventing the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere. They sequester carbon, meaning they are like a sponge, soaking carbon from the air. Trees absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, preventing the environment from overheating.
Deforestation strips the environment of forests’ sequestering benefits. As we cut and burn down trees, we release the carbon stored in the tree while increasing the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Deforestation produces 4.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. The increase causes a chain reaction, creating more acidic waters1.
Fewer trees are in the environment to absorb the carbon dioxide released into the air. So, it accumulates in the air, leading to ocean acidification and increasing its impact on ocean life.
Fossil fuels are nonrenewable energy sources used to generate electricity, heating, and transportation over the past two decades. The extraction and use of fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas contribute to the carbon dioxide in the air.
We use these fuels to produce energy in various manufacturing companies, to produce electricity, and to power big engines. We also use them to cook and provide heat when it's cold. We also use them to power transport systems like buses, cars, airplanes, and ships.
Burning crude oil, coal, and natural gas produces enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, making it the most significant contributor to global warming. In 2022, 81% of the United States' energy comes from coal, natural gas, and crude oil, so you can imagine the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere daily.
Fossil fuels contribute the most CO2 to the air. In 2023, the fossil fuel industry released 36.8 billion tons of carbon, with the United States being the world’s second carbon emitter after China4.
Ocean acidification harms marine species in various ecosystems. It harms many marine species that rely on carbonate-based shells and those with high sensitivity to acid. Acidification also affects the complex food webs in the ocean. For instance, other marine species high on the food web feed on the ones with high sensitivity.
Calcifying organisms are marine animals that use calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. These marine species include coral reefs, plankton, oysters, etc. Ocean acidification breaks existing shells and skeletons and makes creating a new one challenging because of the ocean's limited calcium carbonate.
Their shells become weak and vulnerable to damage from external factors, which weakens their recovery rates. For example, sea urchins help protect coral reefs from algae. However, they can't in acidic coastal areas because their weak protective shells make them more vulnerable to predators.
It also disrupts the food web because calcifying organisms prey on other animals. Some fish species are vulnerable to ocean acidification. Fish eggs and larvae might find it challenging to grow, develop, and survive in acidic oceans. An example is the clownfish larvae, which showed a reduced sense of smell in acidic marine environments, leading to risky swimming behaviors.
Fossil fuels are nonrenewable energy sources used to generate electricity, heating, and transportation over the past two decades. The extraction and use of fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas contribute to the carbon dioxide in the air.
We use these fuels to produce energy in various manufacturing companies, to produce electricity, and to power big engines. We also use them to cook and provide heat when it's cold. We also use them to power transport systems like buses, cars, airplanes, and ships.
Burning crude oil, coal, and natural gas produces enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, making it the most significant contributor to global warming. In 2022, 81% of the United States' energy comes from coal, natural gas, and crude oil, so you can imagine the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere daily.
Fossil fuels contribute the most CO2 to the air. In 2023, the fossil fuel industry released 36.8 billion tons of carbon, with the United States being the world’s second carbon emitter after China4.
Fossil fuels are nonrenewable energy sources used to generate electricity, heating, and transportation over the past two decades. The extraction and use of fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas contribute to the carbon dioxide in the air.
We use these fuels to produce energy in various manufacturing companies, to produce electricity, and to power big engines. We also use them to cook and provide heat when it's cold. We also use them to power transport systems like buses, cars, airplanes, and ships.
Burning crude oil, coal, and natural gas produces enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, making it the most significant contributor to global warming. In 2022, 81% of the United States' energy comes from coal, natural gas, and crude oil, so you can imagine the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere daily.
Fossil fuels contribute the most CO2 to the air. In 2023, the fossil fuel industry released 36.8 billion tons of carbon, with the United States being the world’s second carbon emitter after China4.
