What is Sea?
{{distinguish|Ocean|World Ocean}} [[File:Waves lajolla.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The sea at [[La Jolla, California]] in the [[Gulf of Catalina]]]] A '''sea''' is a large [[body of water|body]] of [[salt water]]. It may be an [[ocean]], or may be a large saltwater [[lake]] which like the [[Caspian Sea]], lacks a natural outlet. == Characteristics == === Seawater === [[File:Aquarius spacecraft first global salinity map Aug-Sep 2011.jpg|thumb|left|Salinity map taken from the Aquarius Spacecraft. The rainbow colours represent red = 40ppt and violet = 30 ppt]] Seawater is salty. The open ocean has about {{convert|35|g}} solids per litre, a [[salinity]] of 35 part per thousand. The [[Mediterranean]] Sea is a little higher at 37part per thousand and the [[Dead Sea]] has as much as {{convert|300|g}} dissolved solids per litre. [[Sodium chloride]] is the main salt present, making up about 85% of the solids in [[solution]]. There are also {{convert|5|g}} per litre of the [[Chloride|chlorides]] of other metals such as [[potassium]] and [[magnesium]] and {{convert|3|g}} of [[sulphate]]<nowiki/>s, [[carbonate]]<nowiki/>s, [[Bromide|bromides]] and other salts. A kilogram (2.2 lb) of salt can be found in 28 litres or one cubic foot of typical ocean water.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm |title=Why is the ocean salty? |author=Swenson, Herbert |publisher=US Geological Survey |access-date=2020-07-15 |archive-date=2015-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209191609/http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Despite differences in the levels of salinity in different seas, the relative [[composition]] of the dissolved salts is very stable throughout the world's oceans.<ref name=Anderson>{{cite web |url=http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/02ocean/swcomposition.htm |title=Sea water composition |author=Anderson, Genny |date=October 8, 2010 |work=Marine Science |publisher=MarineBio.net}}</ref> ==== Temperature ==== The [[temperature]] of the sea