Why is the ocean salty?

Answer 1

"Says Me" is correct about the salt being from minerals carried into the ocean by rivers, however, if it had really been going on for millions of years as he claims, the ocean would be about as salty as the Dead Sea by now.


// Ok, this borders on inane. Those of you who say the Dead Sea is salty because it has a high evaporation rate and no outlet: Would you mind telling me how, with its vastly greater surface area, the ocean has a lower evaporation rate? Or, you could try explaining where the outlets for the ocean are. I guess you think there is a little plug at the bottom where the water lets out when it gets too full?

Answer 2

The ocean actually contains every known element dissolved in some amount, but the majority of the solute is sodium chloride.

The ocean is "salty" because over the 500 million year history of the oceans/seas, sodium chloride has been gradually eroded and weathered from the continents, has been leached from the ocean floor, and has escaped from hydrothermal vents.

The reason the oceans have not become like the Dead Sea (pay attention here Steve) is because the ocean acts like a salt-cycle in a way, recycling the salt in effect. The Dead Sea, on the other hand, is an inland sea, has limited freshwater influx, and high evaporation. These combined factors have lead to the extremely high salinity of the Dead Sea.

Answer 3

over millions of years minerals have washed from the land into the ocean ( some like salt dissolve and stay in suspension )

in many ways the salt is in a cycle just like the water - water evaporates from areas where it is trapped and diposits salt( like landlocked bays and dried up oceans ) and then when the land shifts or a large flood comes it is again washed to sea ( where some is dissolved - some combine with other minerals to form new compounds )

places where this cycle is interrupted tend to be so salty that they cannot support most life ( The Dead Sea - The Great Salt Lake )

Answer 4

Add, the constant evaporation of the sea to form clouds that concentrate the salts to 'Says me's' answer!!!
Hey Steve !! the dead sea has no outlet ,,the oceans are constantly recycled plus there are millions of life forms to absorb some of the salt.

Answer 5

I couldn't say which ones offhand, but presumably some of the sodium winds up in rock form, which is then eventually destroyed in the usual way that undersea rocks typically are.

Answer 6

Fish sweat!

Answer 7

LOL, I heard a joke that said that whales produce an obscene amount of sperm per ejaculation, Makes you wonder

Answer 8

CAUSE YO MOMMA IS ON THE COVER OF CRACK WHORE MAGAZINE

Answer 9

fish pee