Tag: oceanic salinity and oceanic temperature

In seas where the supply of freshwater exceeds the rate of evaporation, salinity is low. Near the estuaries generally the salinity is low because ample amount of fresh water enters the sea or ocean.

Because of the sun's heat, evaporation happens at a faster rate. Evaporated water turns into water vapour and reduces in quantity. But amount of salt remains the same in the remaining water and therefore the salinity of the water increases.

The uneven distribution of temperature on earth, uneven supply of freshwater, etc. affects the salinity of seawater. If temperature is high, evaporation will be high and it will result in high salinity. Again if evaporation is high but supply of fresh water exceeds evaporation than salinity will be low. So in many ways the salinity of sea water is effected.

Salinity is the amount of salt dissolved in a body of water. Salinity is an important factor in determining many aspects of the natural waters and of biological process within it, and is a thermodynamic state variable that, along with temperature and pressure, governs physical characteristics like the density and heat capacity of the water.

Temperature and salinity are the two properties of sea water that control the density of the sea water. If temperature reduces, density of water increases.

In tropical zone, temperature is generally higher than the other parts and so the rate of evaporation is also higher, therefore, salinity is higher.

In seas where the rate of evaporation is high than the supply of freshwater, salinity is high. It happens because due to evaporation water turns into water vapour and reduces in quantity, but the amount of salt remains the same.

In the polar areas, temperature is very low and hence evaporation is also very less in polar areas, so salinity is low.

Salinity is not affected much in seas where both the supply of freshwater and evaporation of water is low. Because in both the reasons salinity almost remains the same.