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mikk0384 t1_jampi5o wrote

Calcium carbonate is vulnerable to attack by acids, so as the amount of acid in the water increases, the rate of reactions between the acid and the shells of marine animals goes up. This in turn means that the marine animals have to dedicate more resources to replenishing the shells to avoid death - and in a competitive natural environment "more" isn't always available.

The reaction is as follows: CaCO3 (s) + 2 H^(+) (aq) -> Ca^(2+)(aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)

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Flying_Dutchman92 t1_jao6ej2 wrote

Would the release of CO2 in this reaction add to the acidification of the seawater?

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RatMannen t1_jap7tmp wrote

Very very slightly, yes. However, the quantity released is fairly minor. And it's diluted into quite a lot of water.

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