Which pair of factors would both cause salinity to increase?

Question

A. Evaporation and freezing of sea water

B. Freezing of sea water and precipitation

C. Precipitation and melting of sea ice

D. Melting of sea ice and evaporation

Answer 1

A. Evaporation and freezing of sea water.

Both evaporation and freezing of sea water would increase the salinity because they remove freshwater. When water freezes, it expels salt into the surrounding water, increasing its salinity (sea ice contains only fresh water).

Additionally, as water evaporates, other substances like salt are left behind, causing a higher salinity in the remaining water.

B,C,and D are wrong because:

Precipitation would decrease salinity because it would dilute salt water with fresh water

Melting of sea ice (which is fresh water) would also dilute salt water