Question
Many scientists believe the oceans are becoming more acidic. They have studied these topics with regard to Earth's oceans:
Earth's oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
As the carbon dioxide levels increases, the amount of carbon dioxide the oceans absorb also increases.
When carbon dioxide reacts with water, it produces an acid.
As this happens, the amount of a substance called carbonate is reduced.
Marine organisms like oysters, corals, and plankton need carbonate to build shells.
These shells can be dissolved by too much acid.
What will happen if this trend continues?
A.
The populations of organisms with shells will decrease, but this change will not affect other organisms in the oceans.
B.
The shells of dead organisms will dissolve better, which will improve the overall health of ocean ecosystems.
C.
Organisms without shells will have more resources available to them, so the populations of these organisms will increase.
D.
Certain marine organisms will be less able to build shells, so the populations of many other ocean species will decrease.
Earth's oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
As the carbon dioxide levels increases, the amount of carbon dioxide the oceans absorb also increases.
When carbon dioxide reacts with water, it produces an acid.
As this happens, the amount of a substance called carbonate is reduced.
Marine organisms like oysters, corals, and plankton need carbonate to build shells.
These shells can be dissolved by too much acid.
What will happen if this trend continues?
A.
The populations of organisms with shells will decrease, but this change will not affect other organisms in the oceans.
B.
The shells of dead organisms will dissolve better, which will improve the overall health of ocean ecosystems.
C.
Organisms without shells will have more resources available to them, so the populations of these organisms will increase.
D.
Certain marine organisms will be less able to build shells, so the populations of many other ocean species will decrease.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The most accurate prediction of what will happen if the trend of ocean acidification continues is:
**D. Certain marine organisms will be less able to build shells, so the populations of many other ocean species will decrease.**
This option reflects the interconnectedness of marine ecosystems and recognizes that a decline in shelled organisms, like oysters and corals, can have cascading effects on the broader marine environment, potentially affecting species that rely on these organisms for habitat, food, or other ecological functions.
**D. Certain marine organisms will be less able to build shells, so the populations of many other ocean species will decrease.**
This option reflects the interconnectedness of marine ecosystems and recognizes that a decline in shelled organisms, like oysters and corals, can have cascading effects on the broader marine environment, potentially affecting species that rely on these organisms for habitat, food, or other ecological functions.