Calcium Carbonate System

The calcium carbonate system involves a balance between calcium ions, carbonate ions, and carbon dioxide in water environments. It plays a vital role in natural processes like ocean chemistry and limestone formation. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it can form carbonic acid, which reacts with calcium minerals to produce calcium carbonate—common in shells and coral reefs. This system helps regulate ocean pH and influences how organisms build their shells. Changes in carbon dioxide levels, such as from pollution or climate change, can disturb this balance, affecting marine life and sediment stability.