Why would an area with warm, dry winds have higher surface salinity?

Why would an area with warm, dry winds have higher surface salinity?

• A. Increased evaporation concentrates salts
• B. Increased rainfall dilutes salts
• C. Ocean currents bring in freshwater
• D. Salts precipitate out of solution

Answer: (A)

When water at the surface evaporates, the liquid turns into vapor and leaves the dissolved salts behind. Warm, dry winds accelerate this evaporation, so more water leaves than is replaced by rainfall or freshwater input. The remaining seawater becomes more concentrated with salts, raising surface salinity. If there were more rainfall or freshwater flowing in, the added water would dilute the salts and lower salinity. Currents bringing in freshwater would also decrease salinity, while salts precipitating out would remove dissolved salts and reduce salinity. So the higher salinity comes from evaporation concentrating the salts in the remaining water.

When water at the surface evaporates, the liquid turns into vapor and leaves the dissolved salts behind. Warm, dry winds accelerate this evaporation, so more water leaves than is replaced by rainfall or freshwater input. The remaining seawater becomes more concentrated with salts, raising surface salinity. If there were more rainfall or freshwater flowing in, the added water would dilute the salts and lower salinity. Currents bringing in freshwater would also decrease salinity, while salts precipitating out would remove dissolved salts and reduce salinity. So the higher salinity comes from evaporation concentrating the salts in the remaining water.