Why is the sea salty but not rivers and lakes?

It all comes down to a thing called the water- or hydrological cycle. Once it reaches the sea, the water can be evaporated again to form new clouds containing fresh water, and the salt is left behind; so, over millions of years, the oceans have slowly been accumulating salt washed off the land by fresh water.

How are lakes not salt water?

Water falls all over the planet, but when it passes through soil and rocks it slowly dissolves bits of minerals, including sodium chloride (salt). This means rivers and lakes have tiny fragments of salt in them, which — little by little — are carried into the sea.

Why are the Great Lakes freshwater and not salt water?

THE ANSWER: Lakes are fed by rivers, which in turn are fed by rainwater. “The Great Lakes are not (noticeably) salty because water flows into them as well as out of them, carrying away the low concentrations of minerals in the water,” writes Michael Moore of Toronto.

Are streams freshwater or saltwater?

Rivers and streams are moving bodies of freshwater. The water in a river or stream is largely made up of runoff from sources such as melting glaciers or rainwater. Rivers and streams usually empty into a lake or the ocean.

How did oceans become salty?

Salt in the ocean comes from two sources: runoff from the land and openings in the seafloor. Rocks on land are the major source of salts dissolved in seawater. Rainwater that falls on land is slightly acidic, so it erodes rocks. The heated water is released through vents in the seafloor, carrying the metals with it.

How is ocean water different from freshwater?

Saltwater is said to be the water with a high content of salts and minerals in it, whereas freshwater contains salts and minerals in less than 1\%. The main source of saltwater is oceans and seas, while the main source of freshwater is lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, etc.