Which compound is the most common salt in the ocean?

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Prepare for the NES Earth and Space Science (307) Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations to enhance your understanding and boost your confidence. Excel in your exam preparation!

Multiple Choice

Which compound is the most common salt in the ocean?

Explanation:
Seawater’s dissolved ions are dominated by sodium and chloride. The ocean’s salinity is largely made up of these two ions pairing together as sodium chloride, the compound we know as table salt. Because chloride is the most abundant negative ion and sodium is the most abundant positive ion in seawater, NaCl accounts for the majority of dissolved salts by weight. Other salts—such as sulfates, carbonates, and potassium compounds—exist but in much smaller amounts, so they don’t match the prevalence of NaCl in the ocean. That strong pairing of the top cation and top anion explains why this salt is the most common one in seawater.

Seawater’s dissolved ions are dominated by sodium and chloride. The ocean’s salinity is largely made up of these two ions pairing together as sodium chloride, the compound we know as table salt. Because chloride is the most abundant negative ion and sodium is the most abundant positive ion in seawater, NaCl accounts for the majority of dissolved salts by weight. Other salts—such as sulfates, carbonates, and potassium compounds—exist but in much smaller amounts, so they don’t match the prevalence of NaCl in the ocean. That strong pairing of the top cation and top anion explains why this salt is the most common one in seawater.

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