The carbon dioxide which sinks into the ocean reacts with water to form a weak carbonic acid which contains about 1 percent of the carbon in the entire system. The weak carbonic acid is then converted into a bicarbonate ion which exists in equilibrium with the acid formed depending on the prevailing physical conditions. The bicarbonate ion contains 89 percent of the carbon in the system and which reduces to 10 percent with the formation of a carbonate ion. Finally, the carbonate ions chemically react with dissolved calcium ions in ocean water to form calcium carbonate, commonly known as limestone. The significance of this system is that the ocean pH is usually weakly alkaline, ranging between 7 and 8. The concentration of carbon dioxide is significantly reduced due to the high level of photosynthesis that takes place in the weather. Moreover, this process also accounts for the amount of “lost” carbon dioxide, which is usually not found in the carbon cycle.
Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance.
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Academic.Tips. (2022) 'Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance'. 3 February.
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Academic.Tips. (2022, February 3). Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance. https://academic.tips/question/describe-the-ocean-bicarbonate-system-and-comment-on-its-significance/
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Academic.Tips. 2022. "Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance." February 3, 2022. https://academic.tips/question/describe-the-ocean-bicarbonate-system-and-comment-on-its-significance/.
1. Academic.Tips. "Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance." February 3, 2022. https://academic.tips/question/describe-the-ocean-bicarbonate-system-and-comment-on-its-significance/.
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Academic.Tips. "Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance." February 3, 2022. https://academic.tips/question/describe-the-ocean-bicarbonate-system-and-comment-on-its-significance/.
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"Describe the ocean bicarbonate system and comment on its significance." Academic.Tips, 3 Feb. 2022, academic.tips/question/describe-the-ocean-bicarbonate-system-and-comment-on-its-significance/.