Ocean acidification: Does carbon dioxide affect the pH of seawater and how does acidity affect the strength of seashells?

This resource provides a set of videos and a practical investigation aimed at supporting working scientifically in the classroom and relating science to real world experiences. In the first video Professor Brian Cox joins a teacher to find out how to set up and run an investigation into the effect of increasing carbon dioxide in seawater and how increasing the acidity in seawater affects the strength of shells. 

In the second video we visit C-Capture to find out how they are using carbon capture technology to capture carbon dioxide from power stations for storage in reserves or re-use. In the final video we visit Dr Helen Findlay at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, who is researching how changes in seawater conditions are affecting marine life. These videos delve into their jobs in STEM, the skills needed and the careers which may be available within the field in the future, aiming to give students a broader view of the science of the topic in a real-world context. The aim of these videos is to give students an insight into the relevant subjects and skills they could pursue at school and beyond, which may be useful for careers teachers and form tutors.   

This activity is based on an original idea designed by The Royal Geographical Society, in collaboration with The Goldsmiths' Company, who have kindly agreed to its use in the Royal Society Brian Cox School Experiments.

This resource has been provided by The Royal Society.

Classroom experiment

Rose McCarthy and Dr Douglas Barnes at C-Capture

Dr Helen Findlay at Plymouth Marine Laboratory