How does th melting of ice caps near the North Pole affect the salinity of the ocean
Biology · High School · Tue Nov 03 2020
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While sea ice is frozen salt water, icebergs are pieces of glaciers, formed of compacted snowfall, and are therefore fresh water. Melting glaciers and icebergs release fresh water and reduce the salinity of the surrounding sea . The salinity of the water goes down as the icecaps melt. That is because the icecaps are fresh water, meaning there's no salt in that ice. If they melt rapidly, the water mixes with the ocean water that is salty and since fresh water is added, the salinity reduces and the oceans become less salty.