Introduction
Oceans are one of the planet’s most significant, incredible, and mysterious places. Moreover, this massive amount of water still needs to be thoroughly examined by people and has various secrets. One of the most incredible aspects of oceans is their salinity, so the question is why this feature arises. Still, there are two sources of salinity: the first one is the runoff from the land, and the second one comes from the seafloor.
The Reasons Behind Ocean Salinity
Rocks
There are internal and external sources of salt in the ocean. Rocks on the surface, gaps in the seafloor, and salt domes are significant sources of salt in oceans (Why is the Ocean Salty?). Firstly, the primary source of salinity is the dissolved ions from rocks because of rainfalls (Why is the Ocean Salty?). The rainwater is significantly acidic, so the erosion of the rocks is seen. As a result, many metals and chemical elements from rocks are flowing into the oceans.
Volcanic Fluids
Secondly, different fluids from the water are the source of the salt inside the ocean (Why is the Ocean Salty?). The heat from the magma creates chemical reactions in which rocks in water lose metals. In addition, salinity is created with the help of volcanic activity inside oceans. In this case, minerals are released into the ocean, which increases the salinity.
Underground Factors
Lastly, the underground resources also significantly contribute to the salinity of oceans. In this case, salty domes, located under the sea and underground and formed by timescales, create salinity (Why is the Ocean Salty?). As a result, all these factors lead to the 35 parts per thousand salinity in the oceans (Why is the Ocean Salty?). Therefore, the land’s runoff causes salinity, an internal ocean process.
Conclusion
To conclude, the salinity of the oceans is created by two primary sources: internal and external. Rainfalls contribute to the erosion of the rocks, so metals flow into the oceans. Ventures in the seafloor and volcanic activity release metals and iron into the ocean, significantly contributing to the salinity. Lastly, the salty domes formed by geological factors increase the level of salt and the amount of iron in the water.
Work Cited
“Why is the Ocean Salty?” National Ocean Service, 2021. Web.