Why Is The Ocean Salty?
5. Volcanism
The water that arrived in meteors was pure water. Not a drop of it was salty, which led to the question of where did the salt come from? The salt came from a handful of sources, including from volcanoes. Volcanoes are some of the most dramatic, and the most destructive, natural features on Earth.
Advertisement
While it is usually only those above ground that we pay attention to, there are also volcanoes under the ocean. Underwater volcanoes spew out hot, molten lava under the oceans just as they do on land. This lava is rich in minerals, and chemical reactions lead to salt being dissolved by the oceans.
Advertisement
Advertisement
