# Acidic ocean water **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acidic-ocean-water/844528 "2019-12-07T22:48:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acidic-ocean-water/844528/1 "2019-12-07T22:48:09Z")
If increased C02 raises the acidity of the ocean will the acidity constantly be seeking neutral by reacting with other things and breaking down? If so what is it when it breaks down? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acidic-ocean-water/844528/2 "2019-12-07T23:06:28Z")
Coral. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acidic-ocean-water/844528/3 "2019-12-08T01:17:02Z")
Nitpick: Instead of _more acidic_, seawater is becoming _less basic_. Surface ocean water is actually moving _toward_ neutral. Here are past and projected pH: 1750 8.18 1995 8.10 2018 8.07 2050 7.95 2100 7.82 (7.0 is neutral; below 7 is “acidic.”) ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2019, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acidic-ocean-water/844528/4 "2019-12-08T01:42:47Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Nitpick: Instead of _more acidic_, seawater is becoming _less basic_. > Surface ocean water is actually moving _toward_ neutral. Here are past and projected pH: > 1750 8.18 > 1995 8.10 > 2018 8.07 > 2050 7.95 > 2100 7.82 > (7.0 is neutral; below 7 is “acidic.”) Is this because of rising CO2 level in the atmosphere or all the melting ice (presumably neutral ) which is also raising the ocean levels ? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acidic-ocean-water/844528/5 "2019-12-08T05:41:52Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > If increased C02 raises the acidity of the ocean will the acidity constantly be seeking neutral by reacting with other things and breaking down? If so what is it when it breaks down? The CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which disassociates into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. The hydrogen ions may react with carbonate in the water to convert it into bicarbonate. This reduces the amount of carbonate in the water, which many aquatic organisms use to build their skeletons out of calcium carbonate, in particular coral and some plankton. This is a simplification, but in effect ocean acidification can cause coral reefs to dissolve.