Question

A scientist observes that the shells of oysters this year are thinner than the shells of oysters several years ago. How could this trend be related to the use of fossil fuels?(1 point)

Fossil fuel spills in the ocean prevent oysters from building shells.

Increasingly acidic ocean water makes building shells more difficult.

Higher levels of ozone in the ocean keep oysters from building shells.

Lower carbon levels mean that oysters do not have enough materials to build shells.

Answer 1

Increasingly acidic ocean water makes building shells more difficult.

Burning fossil fuels raises atmospheric CO2, which dissolves in seawater to form carbonic acid. This lowers pH and reduces the availability of carbonate ions needed to form calcium carbonate shells, so oysters have more trouble building thick shells.