Salinity - Where did the salt come from?
Where did the salt come from?
Millions of years ago, one ocean covered Earth. This vast ocean was just barely salty. Over time, land formed, and rain washed salt and minerals from the land into the ocean. Salt also came from rocks and sediments on the ocean floor, and from undersea volcanic activity that literally erupted salts into the water. All these accumulated salts made ocean water heavier, that is, gave it a greater density than fresh water.
The discoveries made on the Challenger gave us an average salinity for oceans, but this number can vary quite a bit. For example, the Baltic Sea near Sweden has a salinity content of 1 percent; while the Red Sea near Egypt has a salinity content of 27 percent. Salinity increases through evaporation, which begins as the surface water of the ocean is warmed by the Sun. The heated water becomes water...
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