Many people wonder, what big differences are between salt water and fresh water? Is it just water with salt versus water without salt? Those are some common questions people have. Most people ask about the differences, but they forget about the similarities of salt water and fresh water, as well. Did you know that Salt water and fresh water have very different plant and animal life? There are also a few complex fish that can live in both salt water and fresh water. Salt water and fresh water actually have some similarities along with many differences besides salt.
Some of the chemical properties are the same between salt water and fresh water. Salt water and fresh water have the same molecular structure (Brittanica). Since they have the same structure, they can change states. Both salt water and fresh water can exist in three states. Those three states are liquid, gas, and solid or water, steam, and ice (Water 10). The temperature, at which water needs to be to change states, depends on atmospheric pressure (Water Encyclopedia).
Along with similar properties there are differences as well. Salt water, on average, is about 96.5% water, 2.5% dissolved salt, and smaller percentages of organic substances and inorganic substances (Britannica). Not all salt water is the same. Some water has so little salt that it is almost fresh water. Other bodies of water are very salty like the Dead Sea, one of the lowest and saltiest seas in the world (Worldwide Traveler). Fresh water is simply water. Salt water, or sea water, is about 2.5% denser than fresh water (Wise Geek). Density, the compactness of molecules or heaviness of water, increases with salt content and depth, typically (Water 70). Freezing water, fresh or salt, also has an effect on the density and often makes it less dense. Salt water also tends to have a higher viscosity, the measure of the extent resists the force tending to cause the fluid to
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