Virtual Urchin Lab
Hello, today we were given a packet with questions. We had to go on a website to answer these questions. I'll put the website down below after this message. I'll see you later. Peace!
Website: http://virtualurchin.stanford.edu/AcidOcean/AcidOcean.htm
Website: http://virtualurchin.stanford.edu/AcidOcean/AcidOcean.htm
Questions:
Essential Question: I think that it is possible that humans can change the chemistry of the ocean.
> Yes, it is possible that humans can change the chemistry of the ocean.
1. Carbon in the Air: What does the graph of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide tell us?
> The graph shows carbon dioxide levels measured at Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii's in 1958 to 2008.
2. pH scale: Where do some common items fall on the pH? Take a screenshot of your final answers and paste below.
Essential Question: I think that it is possible that humans can change the chemistry of the ocean.
> Yes, it is possible that humans can change the chemistry of the ocean.
1. Carbon in the Air: What does the graph of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide tell us?
> The graph shows carbon dioxide levels measured at Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii's in 1958 to 2008.
2. pH scale: Where do some common items fall on the pH? Take a screenshot of your final answers and paste below.
3. The pH changes by the amount of carbon dioxide. A change from 8.2 to 8.1 on the pH scale is a 30% increase in density.
4. Carbon in the Water: Explain what happens to Carbon in ocean water.
> Carbon in the ocean water turns into carbonic acid.
5. Exploring Carbon Levels and Effects: Look over the interactive and describe what happens at each of the levels.
> Optimistic - As the years went from 1865 - 2090 the corals shrink as the amount of carbon dioxide increased with the pH 7.92.
> Middle Ground - The corals shrink even more with higher carbon dioxide level and the pH for year 2090 is
7.83.
> Pessimistic - The corals size decreased with higher carbon dioxide level, with pH level for 2090 is 7.73.
6. Diversity of live in the Sea: Sort each of the organisms into Calcifiers or Non-Calcifiers. Take a screenshot of your final answer.
4. Carbon in the Water: Explain what happens to Carbon in ocean water.
> Carbon in the ocean water turns into carbonic acid.
5. Exploring Carbon Levels and Effects: Look over the interactive and describe what happens at each of the levels.
> Optimistic - As the years went from 1865 - 2090 the corals shrink as the amount of carbon dioxide increased with the pH 7.92.
> Middle Ground - The corals shrink even more with higher carbon dioxide level and the pH for year 2090 is
7.83.
> Pessimistic - The corals size decreased with higher carbon dioxide level, with pH level for 2090 is 7.73.
6. Diversity of live in the Sea: Sort each of the organisms into Calcifiers or Non-Calcifiers. Take a screenshot of your final answer.
7. Describe the life cycle of Echinoderms and explain why they are so sensitive to changes in pH.
> Echinoderms have internal skeletons made of magnesium calcite from calcium carbonate, which makes them the most sensitive to ocean acidification. Echinoderms start as a 2 cell embryo, changing into a young sea urchin larva, then into a late stage larva, and they become juvenile crawling out of their larval body. After the juveniles grow after metamorphosis, they finally become a sea urchin adult. The ocean acidification can affect the sea urchin's larva's growth of the skeleton and spine since their skeleton are very sensitive magnesium calcite.
8. How to Study Ocean Acidification in the Lab- How may ocean acidification impact Sea Urchins in the larval stage? Can you think of any other possible acidification impacts on marine organisms other than calcification?
> They may not be able to survive. It could also make them weaker.
Lab:
1.Look at the first slide under the microscope- Describe what you see.
> What I see is a circle that kind of looks like an eye. There seems to be something little particles towards the right side of the circle.
2. Fill two flasks with sea water and label them with "pH 7.7" and "pH 8.1". Explain why we are using these two pH values for this experiment.
> We are using these two pH values for this experiment because pH 8.1 reflects the pH level today, and pH 7.7 reflects the pH level at the end of the century.
4: What happens to the pH of the first sample when Carbon Dioxide is added? Explain.
> The pH of the first sample becomes lower.
5: Complete the rest of the procedures to prepare slides for study.
6: After making measurements- Find the AVERAGE of each data set
> 463 for pH 7.7 & 513 for pH 8.1
Take a screen shot of the data data/graphs and paste below:
> Echinoderms have internal skeletons made of magnesium calcite from calcium carbonate, which makes them the most sensitive to ocean acidification. Echinoderms start as a 2 cell embryo, changing into a young sea urchin larva, then into a late stage larva, and they become juvenile crawling out of their larval body. After the juveniles grow after metamorphosis, they finally become a sea urchin adult. The ocean acidification can affect the sea urchin's larva's growth of the skeleton and spine since their skeleton are very sensitive magnesium calcite.
8. How to Study Ocean Acidification in the Lab- How may ocean acidification impact Sea Urchins in the larval stage? Can you think of any other possible acidification impacts on marine organisms other than calcification?
> They may not be able to survive. It could also make them weaker.
Lab:
1.Look at the first slide under the microscope- Describe what you see.
> What I see is a circle that kind of looks like an eye. There seems to be something little particles towards the right side of the circle.
2. Fill two flasks with sea water and label them with "pH 7.7" and "pH 8.1". Explain why we are using these two pH values for this experiment.
> We are using these two pH values for this experiment because pH 8.1 reflects the pH level today, and pH 7.7 reflects the pH level at the end of the century.
4: What happens to the pH of the first sample when Carbon Dioxide is added? Explain.
> The pH of the first sample becomes lower.
5: Complete the rest of the procedures to prepare slides for study.
6: After making measurements- Find the AVERAGE of each data set
> 463 for pH 7.7 & 513 for pH 8.1
Take a screen shot of the data data/graphs and paste below:
Discuss what your data showed: So What?
> Sea urchin larvae in water that is more acidic grows less.
Conclusion: What would these changes do to the adult Sea Urchin population?
> They might be small, sickly or they'll die early.
How would that effect other organisms that depend on these organisms as a source of food? (Sea Otters)?
> They will have less to eat.
What did you learn about Ocean Acidification? Discuss.
> I learned that it doesn't take a lot of change in pH to affect sea life, and that pH change in the ocean, by hurting small organisms, can mess up the entire ecosystem.
> Sea urchin larvae in water that is more acidic grows less.
Conclusion: What would these changes do to the adult Sea Urchin population?
> They might be small, sickly or they'll die early.
How would that effect other organisms that depend on these organisms as a source of food? (Sea Otters)?
> They will have less to eat.
What did you learn about Ocean Acidification? Discuss.
> I learned that it doesn't take a lot of change in pH to affect sea life, and that pH change in the ocean, by hurting small organisms, can mess up the entire ecosystem.
Hey, I see that you're done. I'll see you later. Peace!