As a high school or undergraduate Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or Earth Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to teach about buffers, how buffers work (buffer action), ocean carbonate buffering, and ocean acidification due to higher levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).
Video Tutorial : How to use this Lesson Plan
Please note, the first 3 min 52 sec of the video introduce how to use TROP ICSU resources followed by description of this Lesson Plan.
This lesson plan introduces the topic of buffers and describes carbonate buffering in the ocean when atmospheric CO2 dissolves in seawater. The buffering capacity of the ocean is, however, limited, and therefore, higher concentrations of dissolved CO2 can lead to ocean acidification. Students will use a computer-based activity/model to explore how higher atmospheric CO2 levels (resulting in an increase in dissolved CO2) can lead to ocean acidification. Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or Earth Sciences.
Lesson plan based on an idea submitted by Dr. Pragya Gahlot, Sri Venkateswara College (University of Delhi), India.
Want to know more about how to contribute? Contact us.
About Lesson Plan
Grade Level | High school, Undergraduate |
Discipline |
|
Topic(s) in Discipline |
|
Climate Topic |
|
Location | Global |
Language(s) | English |
Access | Online |
Approximate Time Required |
30-40 min |
Contents
Reading (~10 min) |
This reading introduces the topic of buffers and explains the chemistry of buffer action in solution through examples. Go to the reading |
Video micro-lecture (7 min) |
This video micro-lecture explains carbonate buffering in the ocean. It also briefly discusses the change in the chemical composition of the ocean caused by a higher concentration of dissolved CO2, and the resulting effect on ocean biota. Go to the video |
Visualisation
(~10-20 min) |
This visualization allows students to explore changes in the pH levels of oceans for different levels of atmospheric CO2, including the CO2 levels corresponding to various emission scenarios (as published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)). Go to the Visualisation |
Questions
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:.
- What are buffers? Explain buffer action.
- Describe carbonate buffering in the ocean.
- What is ocean acidification?
- Discuss the possible global impact of higher levels of atmospheric CO2 on the pH of oceans.Describe carbonate buffering in the ocean.What is ocean acidification?
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
1 | Introduce the topic with the help of a reading |
|
2 | Play a video micro-lecture to explain the buffer chemistry of oceans |
|
3 | Play a video micro-lecture to explain the buffer chemistry of oceans |
Note: Detailed information about RCP projections is available in the same tab. Detailed information about SRES projections is available here.
|
Use the tools and the concepts learned so far to discuss and determine answers to the following questions:
- What are buffers? Explain buffer action.
- Describe carbonate buffering in the ocean.
- What is ocean acidification?
- Discuss the possible global impact of higher levels of atmospheric CO2 on the pH of oceans.
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
- define buffers and describe buffer action
- describe the terms buffer capacity and buffer range
- explain the buffering action of seawater
- explain ocean acidification and discuss its possible impact on the biosphere
If you or your students would like to explore the topic further, these additional resources will be useful.
1 | Laboratory Activity
(High School) |
A laboratory activity— “The Buffer Zone” by Stefani Hines, University of New Mexico, published in the Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) Science Education Program—that allows students to explore the buffering ability of seawater and discuss how this buffer action is affected by increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 and increasing global temperatures.
|
2 | Video | An animated video, “Demystifying ocean acidification and biodiversity impacts” from the California Academy of Sciences, to learn about ocean acidification and its impacts on the biodiversity of the planet. |
1 | Reading “How Does a Buffer Maintain pH” | Chapter provided by LibreTextsTM |
2 | Video micro-lecture “Ocean Buffer Chemistry” | Prof. David Archer, University of Chicago |
3 | Simulation “Surface Ocean pH Levels” | Developed by The King’s Centre for Visualization in Science (KCVS) |
4 | Additional Resources | · “The Buffer Zone” by Stefani Hines, University of New Mexico in the Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) Science Education Program · “Demystifying ocean acidification and biodiversity impacts” by the California Academy of Sciences |
5 | Image(s) | http://www.cev.washington.edu/story/Science_Illustration https://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/OurChangingOcean.aspx |
Mapped Sustainable Development Goal(s), apart from 4 and 13
