Why is ocean water salty and lake water not?
The biggest reason why ocean water is salty is because it is exposed to the atmosphere. Rainwater can contain dissolved minerals and salts, which can deposit onto the ocean’s surface as it evaporates, and this process concentrates the salt in the water. The amount of salt in the oceans is actually about 1.5 times greater than the amount of salt in the earth’s crust.
Why is water in ocean salty and water in lake not?
The ocean consists of two main components, water and the surrounding salty water. This salty water is called “saline” water. The salt content of the oceans is about 35%. While the water of a lake is salty, the concentration of salt is much lower. The salt content of the water of lakes and rivers varies from 0.5% to 10% of the content of ocean water.
Why is lake water less salty than ocean water?
The main reason for the difference in salt content between lake water and ocean water is the amount of water in the ocean. The ocean is so much more massive than lakes that it holds more water, and the salt in ocean water is held to a greater extent by this water. On the other hand, when a fresh water lake evaporates, the salt is less tightly bound, so it can then be taken back up into the atmosphere as precipitation. This means that the water a lake loses through evap
Why is water salty in ocean but not lake?
The major difference between salty ocean water and fresh lake water is that ocean water is salty because it is all salted up by minerals that are found in oceans. Because lakes are usually located inland, they are protected from these minerals. In addition, the atmosphere contains much more moisture in the form of rainwater, which also dilutes the salt content of lakes.
Why is ocean water salty and lake water not salty enough?
The salty part is easy to understand: oceans are full of salty seawater. To keep the water from boiling over, the ocean’s salt reserves must be enormous. In contrast, lake water is generally fresh. Even saltwater lakes have fresh water in them. Through evaporation, the salty water only concentrates itself, while the freshwater that’s left behind dilutes the saltwater that’s left behind.