What is Salinity?
[[File:Wiki plot 04.png|thumb|right|Average '''salinity''' of the surface for the [[World Ocean]] per year. Data from the [http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/OC5/WOA01/ World Ocean Atlas 2001].]] '''Salinity''' is a [[science|scientific]] term. [[Scientist]]s use it to tell how much [[sodium chloride|salt]] there is in [[water]]. Salinity is measured by the amount of [[sodium chloride]] found in 1,000 [[gram]]s of water, if there is 1 gram of sodium chloride in 1,000 grams of water solution it is 1 part per thousand. This is written as 1[[‰]].<ref>http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/water/salinity1.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306092046/http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/water/salinity1.htm |date=2012-03-06 }} Retrieved 7 October 2007</ref> * [[Fresh water]] contains less than 0.1% of salt . This is the usual case for [[river]]s and [[lake]]s. * [[Brackish water]] contains between 0.1% and 3% of salt. This environment is usually found at [[estuary|estuaries]] where a river flows into the sea. * ''[[Salt water|Saline water]]'' contains between 3% and 5% of salt (per volume). Usually, there is about 3.5% salt in the water of the oceans. * Water that has more than 5% salt in it, is called [[brine]]. Some lakes and bodies of water have that much salt in them. The [[Dead Sea]] has about 15% salt (150‰) on the [[surface]]. == References == {{reflist}} {{science-stub}} [[Category:Oceanography]]