Question

determine whether each statement is true or false.
if the oceans absorb too much co₂ from the atmosphere, they can become more acidic, potentially causing the shells and exoskeletons of some marine organisms to dissolve.
much more carbon moves through the slow processes of the carbon cycle each year than through the fast processes of the carbon cycle.
processes that release carbon, like volcanic activity and fossil fuel combustion, occur much faster than processes that store carbon underground, such as limestone formation and coal formation.
runoff from the chemical weathering of rocks on land helps deliver ions to the oceans. many marine organisms use these ions to build their shells and exoskeletons.

Explanation:

First Statement:

When oceans absorb excess \( \text{CO}_2 \), it reacts with water to form carbonic acid (\( \text{H}_2\text{CO}_3 \)), increasing ocean acidity (ocean acidification). This acid can dissolve calcium carbonate - based shells/exoskeletons of marine organisms (like corals, mollusks). So the statement is true.

Fast carbon cycle processes (e.g., photosynthesis, respiration, combustion of biomass) move a large amount of carbon annually. Slow processes (e.g., limestone formation, coal formation) operate over long timescales and move less carbon per year. So the claim that slow processes move more carbon yearly is false.

Carbon - releasing processes like volcanic activity (relatively infrequent, but still faster than geological storage) and fossil fuel combustion (human - driven, fast) occur much faster than carbon - storing processes like limestone formation (takes millions of years) and coal formation (millions of years). So the statement is true.

Answer:

True

Second Statement: