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Monday, August 5. 2024

Why are oceans salty?


I still do not entirely get it, despite this article.


So why aren't the Great Lakes salty at all?


Whatever, I prefer salt water for recreation. Maybe it's because I learned to swim in a salt water pool, and was always near salt water. I still am.



Posted by Bird Dog in Natural History and Conservation at 18:09 | Comments (8) | Trackbacks (0)

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I agree with you about a love affair we share with oceans. Only difference is my passion for the Pacific--it is home to me.
#1 Another One on 2024-08-05 21:35 (Reply)
Whatever, I prefer salt water for recreation. Maybe it's because I learned to swim in a salt water pool, and was always near salt water. I still am.

I learned to swim in a fresh water pool, and had a pond a five minute walk from our house for swimming. So I prefer fresh water.

Though I enjoyed the beach and salt water fishing at the Rhode Island shore. And those fried clams!
#2 Gringo on 2024-08-05 22:54 (Reply)
The explanatory power of that article is quite limited. One thing it does not consider (which answers the Great Lakes question) is whether the body of water has an outlet: if the salt flowing out equals the salt flowing in, the body of water remains fresh.

Salt domes are a small part of underground salt deposits, which are the result of large-scale evaporation of shallow seas - which is part of the explanation for how salt leaves the ocean - at least temporarily. Since the salt there came from earlier oceans, it does not at all help explain how the ocean became salty.

Ultimately, the reason for sodium and chlorine ions dominating over other ions is going to depend on the relative propensity of those other ions to be captured and taken out of solution by precipitation (not 'rain', but formation of less soluble salts).
#3 Jim McGinness on 2024-08-06 00:59 (Reply)
Tension. Is there variability between surface water and water with different pressure?
#4 Tallywhagger on 2024-08-06 01:17 (Reply)
Just trust the science.
#5 LibDis on 2024-08-06 10:51 (Reply)
After a few unfortunate ocean sailing experiences, I seem to have an aversion to salt-water. Sailing on the Great Lakes is preferable... Lots to drink, fewer sharks...
#6 Earl Wertheimer on 2024-08-06 11:42 (Reply)
The primary of sea minerals is the hot thermal vents, which are pretty much saturated with dissolved minerai.

The article is about 50 years out of date. Land runoff is a negligible contributor to sea salt.

Sea water composition was a major research problem until the hot vents (smokies) were discovered.
#7 bob sykes on 2024-08-06 12:52 (Reply)
The Great Lakes are not salty because they untimately drain into the ocean
#8 Rod Morris on 2024-08-06 15:23 (Reply)

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