What happens to mineralization when the pH decreases?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the impact of a decrease in pH (increase in acidity) on the process of mineralization, looking for understanding of the relationship between pH levels and mineralization rates.
Answer
It accelerates
When the pH decreases, mineralization accelerates.
Answer for screen readers
When the pH decreases, mineralization accelerates.
More Information
At lower pH levels, microorganisms responsible for mineralization are more active, leading to an increase in the rate of mineralization.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume that a decrease in pH would negatively impact mineralization, when in fact it can have the opposite effect.
Sources
- The Effect of pH on Microbial Mineralization - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- pH Effects on Microbial Mineralization of Organic Carbon - agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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