Some seas, like the Mediterranean, are saltier than the rest of the ocean. And some lakes, such as Mono Lake in California and the Caspian Sea in Asia, are saltier still.

Dec 22, 2025 · Seawater is a complex mixture of 96.5 percent water, 2.5 percent salts, and smaller amounts of other substances, including dissolved inorganic and organic materials, …

Seawater is 220 times saltier than fresh lake water. Unrefined sea salt contains 98.0% sodium chloride and up to 2.0% other minerals (salts). Together there are over 100 minerals, …

Where mixing occurs with freshwater runoff from river mouths, near melting glaciers or vast amounts of precipitation (e.g. monsoon), seawater can be substantially less saline. The most …

Where ocean water mixes with fresh water, like at the mouth of a river, the salinity will be lower. But where there is lots of evaporation and little circulation of water, salinity can be much higher.

This evaporation removes water – when water vapour rises into the atmosphere, it leaves the salt behind, so the salinity of the seawater increases. This causes the seawater to become denser.

The concentration of salt in seawater (salinity) varies with temperature, evaporation, and precipitation. Salinity is generally low at the equator and at the poles, and high at mid-latitudes.

Where ocean water mixes with fresh water, like at the mouth of a river, the salinity will be lower. But where there is lots of evaporation and little circulation of water, salinity can be much …

Jan 1, 2026 · No, it's not safe to drink ocean water even if you boil it. Boiling can kill bacteria and viruses, but it doesn't remove the salts and minerals present in seawater.

Why isn’t the sea much saltier than it is? Why does buffering of pH matter?