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When rainwater falls on land, it erodes rocks and soil, releasing minerals and salts such as sodium chloride (common salt), calcium, and magnesium into rivers. These rivers eventually carry the salts to the oceans.
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When seawater evaporates, the water vapor leaves behind the salts, causing the concentration of salt in the remaining water to increase.
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Underwater volcanic activity and hydrothermal vents release minerals from the Earth's crust, which contribute to the saltiness of ocean water.
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The process of continuous salt input from rivers, groundwater, and vents over millions of years has led to the ocean's high salinity.
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These factors combined make ocean water salty, with an average salinity of about 35 grams of salt per liter of water.
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