Ocean Surface
Description:
You are the water on our planet. Carbon dioxide gas dissolves in water and allows Marine ecosystems to perform photosynthesis. Some of the Carbon in water turns into calcium carbonate, which helps certain Marine animals make their skeletons and shells. Carbon Dioxide can also react with water to turn into Carbonic Acid.
You are the water on our planet. Carbon dioxide gas dissolves in water and allows Marine ecosystems to perform photosynthesis. Some of the Carbon in water turns into calcium carbonate, which helps certain Marine animals make their skeletons and shells. Carbon Dioxide can also react with water to turn into Carbonic Acid.
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Carbon Transfer Process: Ocean / Atmosphere Diffusion
NET EFFECT: Variable; depends on the temperature of the ocean.
CARBON FLUX:
There is a limited amoun of CO2 that can be dissolved in seawater. That amount depends on the temperature of the water.
Cold water can hold more CO2 than warm water, so cold seawater tends to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
Warmer water has higher kinetic energy. This higher kinetic energy increases molecular motion which breaks intermolecular bonds and causes gases to escape from the solution. Therefore, warm seawater tends to release CO2 to the atmosphere. So the net effect of the oceans on atmospheric CO2 varies with the ocean temperature, as shown in the map.
Higher latitude oceans tend to remove more CO2 from the atmopshere than they release (although as the water warms, this balance can change), and tropical oceans tend to release more CO2 to the atmosphere than they take up.
CARBON FLUX:
- 92 Billion metric tons / year moves from the atmosphere to the ocean.
- 90 Billion metric tons / year moves from the ocean to the atmosphere.
There is a limited amoun of CO2 that can be dissolved in seawater. That amount depends on the temperature of the water.
Cold water can hold more CO2 than warm water, so cold seawater tends to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
Warmer water has higher kinetic energy. This higher kinetic energy increases molecular motion which breaks intermolecular bonds and causes gases to escape from the solution. Therefore, warm seawater tends to release CO2 to the atmosphere. So the net effect of the oceans on atmospheric CO2 varies with the ocean temperature, as shown in the map.
Higher latitude oceans tend to remove more CO2 from the atmopshere than they release (although as the water warms, this balance can change), and tropical oceans tend to release more CO2 to the atmosphere than they take up.