GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Evaporation of ocean water and formation of sea ice both increase the salinity of the ocean. However these “salinity raising” factors are continually counterbalanced by processes that decrease salinity such as the continuous input of fresh water from rivers, precipitation of rain and snow, and melting of ice.

Detailed explanation-2: -Evaporation increases the salinity of seawater because when seawater evaporates, the salts are left behind, thus increasing their concentration. Precipitation and river input decrease salinity because the input of freshwater dilutes the salts in seawater, thus decreasing their concentration.

Detailed explanation-3: -Salinity is a measure of the amount of dissolved salts in seawater, measured in parts per thousand (ppt). To change the salinity of an ocean, three different things can occur: evaporation, precipitation, or freezing.

Detailed explanation-4: -Ocean salt primarily comes from rocks on land and openings in the seafloor. Salt in the ocean comes from two sources: runoff from the land and openings in the seafloor. Rocks on land are the major source of salts dissolved in seawater.