Shells & pH

This experiment in Biology was to find the acidity and pH of water, vinegar, salt water and how these substances would affect clam and scallop shells. This experiment showed that different kinds of substances can affect the ocean; they could destroy ocean life in only a matter of days.  The shells would help to show how exactly the ocean may be affected. 

We first filled three jars with water, vinegar and salt water and placed one clam shell and one scallop shell into the jars.  We checked both the temperature and the pH of the water and after a few days we noticed that the container filled with vinegar was empty, both the clam and the scallop had dissolved.  Not long after this the clam from the salt water had dissolved; the scallop in the salt water lost some of its color and became a faded brown color.  We then tested how much weight the shells could hold we stacked books up onto the scallop and clam shells some held up more than twenty.  This experiment shows that the acidity of different substances can cause a bad affect for the oceans sea life.

The Shells and pH experiment helps to show how the small things can have a bigger effect than you may think.  The water, salt water and vinegar all showed how they could affect things differently. The shells for the experiment showed how in a matter of days the shells could be dissolved. Rebekah R.

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