Understand the concepts of pH and ocean buffering. Know important chemical differences between rainwater, river water, and seawater. Gain an appreciation for biogeochemical cycles. Ocean Water Salinity a. A salt is a compound formed by replacing the hydrogen ion of an acid with another positively charged chemical, often a metal, NaCl for HCl, for example.
Salinity is the amount of dissolved solids in seawater.
If we took 1000 grams of seawater and evaporated all the water, we would have 3.47g of dissolved solids, on the average. Rule of constancy of composition - The ratio of major elements in the oceans' salt is amazingly constant. This was established by the Challenger expedition, and is called the rule of constancy of composition. They are chlorine, sodium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Salinity is usually measured in parts per thousand or ppt .