Ocean acidification is the decrease in pH of the oceans, primarily due to increased CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere. Ocean pH has dropped from about 8.2 pre-industrial to about 8.1 today (a 30% increase in hydrogen ion concentration because pH is logarithmic).
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Lesson PreviewLesson 7 of 10 in this unit
9.7 Ocean Acidification
Part of Global Change in AP® Environmental Science. Read the opening section, then create a free account for the full interactive lesson, practice, and progress tracking.
In this unit
10 lessons
- 9.1Stratospheric Ozone DepletionPreview lesson
- 9.2Reducing Ozone DepletionPreview lesson
- 9.3The Greenhouse EffectPreview lesson
- 9.4Increases in the Greenhouse GasesPreview lesson
- 9.5Global Climate ChangePreview lesson
- 9.6Ocean WarmingPreview lesson
- 9.7Ocean AcidificationThis lesson
- 9.8Invasive SpeciesPreview lesson
- 9.9Endangered SpeciesPreview lesson
- 9.10Human Impacts on BiodiversityPreview lesson
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