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Ocean Density and Salinity Explained

The document answers questions about density, salinity, and how freshwater affects ocean salinity. It discusses how density is affected by salinity in the ocean, why oceans are salty, and how freshwater sources like melting ice and rivers influence global ocean currents and estuary salinity.

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Αλεκα Γαλανη
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© © All Rights Reserved
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40 views1 page

Ocean Density and Salinity Explained

The document answers questions about density, salinity, and how freshwater affects ocean salinity. It discusses how density is affected by salinity in the ocean, why oceans are salty, and how freshwater sources like melting ice and rivers influence global ocean currents and estuary salinity.

Uploaded by

Αλεκα Γαλανη
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Answers to Guiding Questions:

1. What is density and how is it affected in the ocean by salinity?


Density is the amount of mass per unit volume. It is the measure of how much matter
(mass) is packed into an item or material compared to the amount of space (volume) it
takes up. A material that is more dense will weigh more than a material that is less dense.

2. Why do different liquids have different densities?


Because different liquids contain different types of atoms with differing densities. In
general, dissolving stuff in water makes it more dense.

3. Why is the ocean salty?


Ocean salt primarily comes from rocks on land. Two of the most prevalent ions in seawater
are chloride and sodium. Together, they make up 90% of all dissolved ions in the ocean.
Sodium chloride is salty!

4. How do differences in ocean salinity contribute to the global ocean conveyor belt system?
Heavier, denser water (with higher salinity) sinks and is a contributing factor to the
density driven ocean conveyer belt. Salinity can decrease from the melting of polar ice and
snow, from rain and other forms of precipitation, and from rivers. Density can be
increased due to evaporation of surface water.

5. Where do ocean waters come from?


Scientists believe that the ocean water originally came from collisions with asteroids
containing ice when the Earth was forming. Ocean water also comes from precipitation,
from our atmosphere, rivers, and melting sea ice and glaciers.

6. Does melting sea ice contribute to freshwater in the ocean?


Yes, because sea ice does not contain any salt. As the salt water freezes, the salt is
squeezed out.

7. How does freshwater from rivers affect the salinity of water found in estuaries?
It lowers the salinity.

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