Why Are Some Desert Lakes Saltier than the Ocean?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why are some desert lakes saltier than the ocean?

The Big Idea

Some desert lakes are saltier than the ocean because water can only leave them by evaporating! When the water evaporates, the salt stays behind. Over thousands of years, the lake gets saltier and saltier.

Rivers Bring Salt

Step one: rivers carry minerals. Rivers carry small amounts of dissolved minerals and salt into lakes in desert basins. It is only a tiny bit each time.

No Way Out

Step two: the lake has no outlet. A lake with no outlet to the sea can lose water only by evaporating. The Sun lifts the water into the air, and the salt stays behind.

Saltier Over Time

Step three: salt builds up. Over thousands of years, the water gets saltier and saltier. Great Salt Lake in Utah and the Dead Sea are several times saltier than the ocean.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! A river brings in a little salt. The Sun evaporates the water. The salt stays in the lake. And salty water is so dense that floating is easy.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Salty water is dense, so floating in the Dead Sea is easy. You can float like a cork! Few animals can live in very salty water. Do the egg test with a grown-up.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist, with a grown-up! Stir salt into a glass of water until no more dissolves. Gently lower a raw egg into plain water, then into the salty water. Which one floats higher? Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

Lakes with no outlet get salty as water evaporates. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!