Mystery Solved: Why is Seawater So Salty? Unraveling Millions of Years of Science

• Rainwater, slightly acidic from atmospheric carbon dioxide, erodes rocks, releasing minerals like sodium and chloride.
• Rivers and streams carry these dissolved minerals to the sea, a continuous process over billions of years.
• Solar heat causes seawater to evaporate, leaving dissolved salt behind, leading to its accumulation.
• Underwater hydrothermal vents and volcanoes directly release minerals and salt, increasing ocean salinity.
• Rivers aren't salty because their water flows continuously, preventing significant salt accumulation, unlike the sea which is the final destination for these minerals.