• Question: why is the sea salty?

    Asked by 9lancl to Douglas on 16 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Douglas Blane

      Douglas Blane answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Two reasons: Rivers are carrying salts to the oceans all the time. But when water evaporates from the surface of the oceans it doesn’t carry these salts with it.

      So the amount of water stays the same. But the salts keep building up. And the oceans get saltier all the time.

      Scientist estimate that if you took out all the salt in the sea and spread it evenly over the Earth’s land you’d get a layer 500 feet thick.

      Which reminds me. I ran out of salt yesterday and meant to buy some this morning. I like salt.

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