Properties of Sea Water

PROPERTIES OF SEA WATER
2. Give reasons.
(a) Salinity is low in the land-locked Baltic Sea.

Answer:
 The Baltic Sea lies in the temperate region.
 In temperate regions, the sunrays are slanting and therefore, the
temperatures are lower.
 The supply of fresh water is also more, as numerous rivers empty
their waters into the Baltic Sea.
 Therefore, in spite of being landlocked, due to low rate of
evaporation and ample supply of fresh water, the salinity of the
Baltic Sea is low.
(b) There is higher salinity in the northern Red Sea while lower in the
southern.
Answer:
 The Red Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world,
owing to high evaporation.
 The salinity is 36%o in the southern part because of the effect of
the Gulf of Aden.
 It reaches 41 %o in the northern part, owing mainly to the Gulf of
Suez and the high evaporation as well as very little precipitation.
 Hence, there is more salinity in the northern Red Sea while lesser
in the south.
(c) Oceans located at the same latitude do not have same salinity.
Answer:
 The salinity of the oceans depends on factors like rate of
evaporation and supply of fresh water.
 In oceans where rate of evaporation is more than the supply of
fresh water, the salinity is higher.
 In oceans where supply of freshwater exceeds the rate of
evaporation, salinity is low.
 Salinity is not affected much in areas where supply of freshwater
and the evaporation of water is low.
 Thus, oceans located on the same latitude do not have the same
salinity.
(d) With increasing depth, the temperature of sea water decreases to a
certain limit.
Answer:
With increasing depth, the temperature of sea water decreases to a
certain limit because –
 While most of the sunrays radiate back from the surface of the sea,
some of them penetrate to certain depths in the water.
 As a result, the intensity of sunrays decreases with the increasing
depth.
 The temperature decreases up to 2000m depth.
 After 2000m, the temperature of the seawater is uniform
everywhere.
(e) There are more salt-pans on the Western coast of India than its
eastern coast.
Answer:
 The Arabian Sea lies lying to the west and Bay of Bengal lies to the
east of India.
 Many large peninsular rivers drain their waters in the Bay of
Bengal and on the contrary, only small seasonal coastal rivers
drain in the Arabian Sea.
 Hence, the salinity of the eastern coast is 34%, while it is 35% in
the Arabian Sea.
 Thus, there are more salt-pans on the Western coast of India than
its Eastern coast.
(f) Salinity increases in the mid-latitudinal zones.

Answer:
 Mid-latitudinal zones lies between 25° to 35° north and south of
the equator.
 In this zone, the rainfall is less and the supply of fresh water from
rivers is also low.
 This region experiences high-temperature conditions which are
marked by the presence of hot deserts of the world. These high-
temperature conditions lead to a high rate of evaporation.
 Thus, the salinity of the seas is found to be higher in mid-
latitudinal zones.
3. Answer the following questions.
(a) What are the factors affecting the salinity of the sea water?
Answer:
1. The uneven distribution of temperature on earth and uneven
supply of freshwater affects the salinity of seawater.
2. In the tropical zone, temperature is higher. Rate of evaporation is
also higher and therefore, the salinity is higher.
3. Around 5° N and S of the equator, in the equatorial calm belt, the
sky is cloudy for a long period of time and convectional rainfall
occurs every day.
4. Large rivers like Congo and Amazon in the equatorial regions meet
the sea. Therefore, supply of freshwater is abundant, too. But
because of higher temperatures, rate of evaporation is more and
therefore, the seas in these areas are more saline.
5. In mid-latitudinal zones (25° to 35° N and S), rainfall is lesser and
the supply of freshwater from rivers is also low. This zone has the
hot deserts of the world. Thus, the salinity of the seas is found to be
higher here.
6. In temperate regions, the sunrays are slanting and therefore, the
temperatures are lower. Because of the melting of the snow, the
supply of water is also more, and therefore, in this zone, salinity
decreases with increasing latitudes.
7. In the polar areas, temperatures are very low. Evaporation is also
very less in polar areas. So, salinity is low.
8. Landlocked seas have higher salinity than open seas as the rate of
evaporation is more. There is a lack of supply of fresh water from
large rivers. Thus, there is a difference in the salinities of open and
closed seas.
(b) Explain the distribution of salinity around the Tropic of Cancer and
tropic of Capricorn.
Answer:
 The uneven distribution of temperature on earth, and uneven
supply of freshwater affects the salinity of sea water.
 Region, between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn is
called as the Tropical zone.
 In the tropical zone, temperature is higher.
 Hence, the rate of evaporation is also higher, and therefore, salinity
is higher.
(c) What are the factors affecting the temperature of the sea water?
Answer:
 Temperature is a major property of the sea water.
 Sea water up to the depth of 500m is called as surface water. The
surface temperature of the sea water is not uniform everywhere.
This is dependent on different factors. .
 Latitudinally, the surface temperature of the seawater decreases
from the equatorial areas towards the poles.
 The average temperature in equatorial areas is around 25° C, while
it is about 2° C near the poles.
 Besides this, cyclones, rainfall, sea waves, ocean currents, salinity,
pollution, convectional currents, and seasons also affect the
surface temperature.
 Regions where cold ocean currents flow, the surface temperature
of ocean water is less, while the regions where the warm currents
move, the temperature increase.
(d) Explain the changes occurring in the temperature of sea water

according to the depth.
Answer:
 While most of the sunrays radiate back from the surface of the sea,
some of them penetrate to certain depths in the water.
 As a result, the intensity of sunrays decreases with the increasing
depth.
 The temperature decreases up to 2000m depth.
 After 2000m, the temperature of the seawater is uniform
everywhere.
 It is around 4°C everywhere from the equatorial regions to the
polar areas.
 Temperature reduces only up to 4° C according to depth, and
therefore, the water at greater depths does not freeze.
 The temperature of the seawater changes rapidly with depth at the
equatorial areas. The difference in temperature is lesser in polar
areas.
 There is also a difference in open seas and landlocked seas. In low
latitudes, because the salinity of the landlocked seas is more, the
temperature of the landlocked seas is higher than the open seas.
(e) Name the factors affecting salinity.

Answer:
Due to the sun’s heat, evaporation happens at a faster rate. Evaporated
water turns into water vapour and reduces in quantity. But amount of
salt remains the same in the remaining water and therefore the salinity
of water increases.
 In seas where the rate of evaporation is high than the supply of
fresh water, salinity is high.
 In seas where the supply of freshwater exceeds the rate of
evaporation, salinity is low.
 Salinity is not affected much in seas where both the supply of
freshwater and evaporation of water is low.
4. Explain how temperature affects the following.
(a) The density of sea water

Answer:
 If temperature reduces, density of water increases.
 Hence, cold water is denser than hot water.
(b) The salinity of sea water

Answer:
 If the salinity of water is high, the density of water increases.

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(a) Salinity is low in the land-locked Baltic Sea.

(f) Salinity increases in the mid-latitudinal zones.

(d) Explain the changes occurring in the temperature of sea water

(e) Name the factors affecting salinity.

4. Explain how temperature affects the following.

(a) The density of sea water

(b) The salinity of sea water

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