Sunday, January 31, 2010

Will every sample of seawater have the same proportion of salt to water?

No, not every sample of seawater will have the same proportion of salt to water. This has to do with many factors. Seawater along the coast has a lower salinity than in the middle of the ocean. This is because freshwater is running into the ocean. Here we have brackish water. This is part salt water and part freshwater. A small river or stream will cause little change to the salinity but a very large river emptying into the ocean will cause a significant decrease in salinity. Another factor that determines salinity is the amount of evaporation or precipitation in that area. For example, if it is hot and dry, there will be more evaporation than precipitation. This will cause a higher salinity. If there is more precipitation, the salinity in that area will decrease. If there are icebergs present, they can also affect salinity. Icebergs are frozen fresh water and if/when they thaw they will cause a decrease in salinity around them.

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Thomas Jefferson's election in 1800 is sometimes called the Revolution of 1800. Why could it be described in this way?

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