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When evaporation occurs at a rate faster than precipitation, the net result is that salt is left behind and the salinity in the oceans will increase. Of course, new salt is brought into the ocean by rivers and deposition of salts on the sea floor takes salt out of the ocean. As a whole, the salinity of the ocean (total salt everywhere) has not changed for millions of years since these input and removal processes are in balance. The increased "saltiness" created by the imbalance between precipitation and evaporation in certain areas of the ocean (some very large) is balance by areas that are fresher so the whole ocean is not getting saltier.

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Related Questions

A zone in which the ocean's salinity increases rapidly with increasing depth is called?

halocline


How does the cryosphere and hydrosphere affect ocean salinity?

The cryosphere, which includes ice and snow, influences ocean salinity primarily through processes like melting and freezing. When ice melts, it releases freshwater into the ocean, decreasing salinity in the surrounding waters. Conversely, when seawater freezes, it leaves behind salt, increasing salinity in the remaining liquid water. Additionally, changes in precipitation and runoff from snowmelt can further affect salinity levels in coastal areas.


Suppose the salinity of surface ocean water is high in a particular place what might you infer about the area's rates of evaporation?

If the salinity of surface ocean water is high in a particular place, it suggests that there is high evaporation rates in that area. As water evaporates, it leaves behind salt, increasing the salinity of the remaining water.


How does evaporation affects salinity?

Evaporation leaves salt behind. So as ocean water decreases, the percentage of salt increases, increasing salinity. As evaporation increases, rainfall also increases, thus it decreasing the salinity of ocean water.


What cause surface ocean water to have a higher salt content?

The main reasons for higher salt content in surface ocean water are evaporation and formation of sea ice. As water evaporates, salt is left behind, causing an increase in salinity. In regions where sea ice forms, the salt is expelled, further increasing the salinity of the remaining water.


The salinity of the ocean?

You could increase the salinity of the ocean by adding salt or removing water (ie: by evaporation).


Is salinity high on open ocean?

In open ocean evaporation affects the salinity of the oceans, in closed oceans the lack of sunrays cause greater salinity levels.


What does not affect ocean salinity?

Rainfall does not directly affect ocean salinity, as rainwater is freshwater and dilutes the salt content in the ocean. Other factors such as evaporation, ice formation, and river input can influence ocean salinity levels.


How do salinity and density related to each other?

Increasing the salinity the density is also increased.


Is your blood as salty as the ocean?

No, human blood is not as salty as the ocean. The salinity of human blood is around 0.9, while the salinity of the ocean is about 3.5.


The measure of the amount of solids dissolved in ocean water is what?

salinity


Does an increase in the salinity of seawater result in an increase or decrease in density?

An increase in the salinity of seawater results in an increase in density. This is because the addition of salt (salinity) adds more mass to the water without significantly increasing its volume, leading to a denser solution. Consequently, higher salinity water is heavier than lower salinity water, impacting ocean circulation and marine life.