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Alkalinity
Chemical weathering
Learning goals
What causes it
Why important
What does the future hold
CARBON
Shells: 2,4
Minimum oxidation
number is 4
Maximum oxidation
number is +4
Carbon Isotopes
C-12
C-13
C-14
Carbon forms
Graphite
Diamond
Buckmisterfullerene
Organic Matter
DOC
Particulate C
Gas phase
Organic
Water
DOC in GROUNDWATER
ORGANICS in WATER
CARBONATE SYSTEM
Bicarbonate (HCO3-)
Carbonate (CO32-)
OPEN SYSTEM
PCO2=103.5yieldspH=5.66
Whatis103.5?316ppmCO2
WhatistodaysPCO2?~368ppm=103.43
pH=5.63
NATURAL ACIDS
HCl
Hydrochloric Acid
pH of Global Precipitation
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2015/01/noaa-globes-co
OPEN SYSTEM
Water is in equilibrium with the partial
pressure of CO2 in the atmosphere
Useful for chemistry of lakes, etc
Carbonate equilibrium reactions are thus
appropriate
CarbonicacidformswhenCO2dissolves
inandreactswithwater:
CO2(g)+H2O=H2CO3
MostdissolvedCO2occursasaqueousCO2
ratherthanH2CO3,butwewriteitascarbonic
acidforconvenience
Theequilibriumconstantforthereactionis:
Notewehaveagasinthereactionandusepartial
pressureratherthanactivity
Firstdissociation:
H2CO3=HCO3+H+
FIRST REACTION
Seconddissociation:
HCO3=CO32+H+
SECOND REACTION
[OH]
Alkalinity
ALKALINITY refers to
water's ability, or inability, to
neutralize acids.
The terms alkalinity and total
alkalinity are often used to
define the same thing.
Totalalkalinitysumofthebases
inequivalentsthataretitratable
withstrongacid(theabilityofa
solutiontoneutralizestrongacids)
Baseswhichcanneutralizeacidsin
naturalwaters:HCO3,CO32,
B(OH)4,H3SiO4,HS,organicacids
(e.g.,acetateCH3COO,formate
HCOO)
Carbonate alkalinity
Alkalinity HCO3
CLOSED CARBONATE
SYSTEM
Carbon dioxide is not lost or gained to the
atmosphere
Total carbonate species (CT) is constant
regardless of the pH of the system
Occurs when acid-base reactions much
faster than gas dissolution reactions
Equilibrium with atmosphere ignored
(an approximation)
So (roughly):
[CO32] ~ Alk CT
CT , [CO32]
Alk , [CO32]
Cellular Respiration
Cellular respiration is the process in which organisms,
including plants, convert the chemical bonds of energy-rich molecules
such as glucose into energy usable for life processes.
The equation for the oxidation of glucose is:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 > 6 H20 + 6 CO2 + energy
As CO2 increases, so does H+, and pH decreases.
Cellular respiration occurs in plants and algae during the day and night,
whereas photosynthesis occurs only during daylight.
LITHOSPHERE
IMPORTANCE OF ROCK
WEATHERING
P, Ca, K, Fe
IMPORTANCE OF ROCK
WEATHERING
[2] Buffering of aquatic systems
-Maintains pH levels
-regulates availability of Al, Fe, PO4
IMPORTANCE OF ROCK
WEATHERING
[3] Forms soil
[4] Regulates Earths climate
[5] Makes beach sand!
Rock
Cycle
Sedimentary Processes
1) Weathering & erosion
2) Transport &
3) deposition
4) Lithification
Weathering:
decomposition and
disintegration of rock
Product of weathering
is regolith or soil
Regolith or soil that is
transported is called
sediment
Movement of
sediment is called
erosion
Weathering Processes
Mechanical Weathering
Frost wedging
Alternate heating and
cooling
Decompression
causes jointing
CARBONIC ACID
CARBONATE (DISSOLUTION)
DEHYDRATION
HYDROLYSIS
HYDROLYSIS
Hydrolysis
Feldspar + carbonic acid
+H2O
= kaolinite (clay)
+ dissolved K (potassium)
ion
+ dissolved bicarbonate
ion
+ dissolved silica
Clay is a soft,
platy mineral,
so the rock
disintegrates
HYDROLYSIS
Alkalinity = HCO3-
OXIDATION
Oxidation
Products of weathering