What makes salt water denser than fresh water? - ProProfs Discuss
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What makes salt water denser than fresh water?



Asked by Marissa_santana, Last updated: Apr 13, 2024

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4 Answers

S. Sergius

S. Sergius

S. Sergius
S. Sergius

Answered Jan 05, 2021

Saltwater is denser because it contains high contents of dissolved salts and minerals, resulting in it having a higher hydraulic head than freshwater. There is more mass in a specific volume of saltwater than there is in freshwater. When you add table salt to the water, the salt will dissolve into ions.

The volume increases by a more significant factor. NaCI is much denser than water to start, mainly because its ions have more mass than the oxygen and hydrogen atoms within water molecules. The volume of the saltwater isn’t as significant as the water volume plus salt volume.

The average salinity of ocean water is 3.5 percent, which means that 35 grams of salt dissolved in a liter of seawater. The saltiness of different bodies of water depends on which organisms will thrive in both.

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B. Strickland

B. Strickland

Ask me anything!

B. Strickland
B. Strickland, Sales Manager, MBA, Houston

Answered Dec 23, 2020

Saltwater has a greater density than fresh water because of the sodium chloride it contains. Furthermore, cold saltwater is denser than warm salt water, but it becomes less dense when water freezes into ice. Objects float more easily in saltwater compared to freshwater.

Coral reefs, dolphins, and many kinds of fish live in saltwater. Some plants and animals thrive in one type of water, while others thrive in different water types. Within a pond or lake, several levels provide different atmospheres ideal for certain types of life. The top-level has algae, plants, and fish. Amphibians are also present at the top level. On the bottom, there are plankton, as well as some other types of fish.

Oceans and seas are saltwater ecosystems, while lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, and ponds are all freshwater ecosystems. Seawater thickness or internal resistance to flow is higher than freshwater because of its differences in the water's salt content. Each type of water allows different animals to live.

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S. Barnes

S. Barnes

Driving down to Knowledge town

S. Barnes
S. Barnes, Chauffeur, Graduate, Seattle

Answered Dec 23, 2020

People assume that since freshwater and saltwater are both types of water, they will have the same density. This is not true though because saltwater is denser. The main reason for this is the salt content that is present in water. Saltwater will have more components as compared to freshwater and the extra component will be enough to make it heavier.

One of the indications that saltwater is denser is the fact that people will always find it easier to float on saltwater as compared to freshwater. The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest seas that can be found in the whole world. People usually have a lot of fun floating on its surface because they can do this without much effort.

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Maxence

Maxence

Have keen interest in writing, traveller by heart.

Maxence
Maxence , Writer, Vienna

Answered Dec 16, 2020

One of the reasons why people ask about what makes saltwater denser than freshwater is that it is easier to keep something afloat in saltwater than in a swimming pool (an example of freshwater). This and other examples are just pointing to the fact that saltwater is denser than freshwater. By denser, it means saltwater has a higher density compared to freshwater. The reason for this is not farfetched. What makes saltwater to be denser than freshwater is the presence of salt in saltwater. In other words, the dissolved salt in saltwater (ocean) makes it denser than freshwater. This also explains why the mass of the saltwater in a container will always be higher than the mass of the fresh water in a similar container. Although the two liquids might have the same volume, they do not have the same mass. Invariably, the presence of salt is what makes saltwater to be denser than freshwater
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