Ocean acidification occurs due to reaction of atmospheric carbon dioxide with sea water to produce __________.

Ocean acidification happens when atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater to form carbonic acid.

Carbonic acid then releases hydrogen ions that lower the pH of the ocean.

Carboxylic acid is an organic acid group and is not formed by this reaction.

Citric acid is a natural acid in fruits and has nothing to do with ocean chemistry here.

Nitric acid forms from nitrogen oxides in the air, not from carbon dioxide in seawater.

Falling ocean pH harms corals and shellfish by dissolving their calcium carbonate shells.