Does the addition of acid change alkalinity? I'm attempting to speed up the dissolution of calcium carbonate by the addition of hydrochloric acid. However, I'm using the calcium carbonate as a source of carbonate for a water sample. But would the addition of acid counteractively lower the alkalinity in the process, therefore lowering the carbonate concentration?
Calcium carbonate has a solubility of $\pu{13 mg/L}$ at room temperature. Adding acid to this solution will dissolve the calcium carbonate, by destroying the carbonate via the equilibria
$$\ce{CO3^2- &lt;=&gt;[+ H+][- H+] HCO3- &lt;=&gt;[+ H+][- H+] H2CO3 -&gt; H2O + CO2,}$$
with the carbon dioxide having a tendency to escape the solution.