Why Are Oceans Salty and How Do Sea Creatures Live There? - Explained for 7-Year-Olds

Why Is the Ocean Salty?

The ocean has salty water because of tiny bits of salt and minerals that come from rocks on land. When it rains, water washes over these rocks and carries the salt into rivers. The rivers flow into the ocean and bring lots of salt with them. Over a very long time, the salt builds up, making the ocean salty!

How Do Ocean Creatures Live in Salty Water?

Lots of animals live in the ocean, like fish, crabs, and sea stars. Even though the water is salty, these creatures have special ways to stay healthy:

• Fish breathe and drink differently: They have special parts in their bodies called gills and kidneys that help keep the salt and water balanced.
• Crabs and other creatures: Their bodies can keep salt out or use it to help them survive.
• Sea stars and sea plants: They have special skin or coatings that protect them from too much salt.

Why Is This Important?

The ocean is like a big home for these creatures. Without being able to live in salty water, they wouldn’t survive. Learning about this helps us understand how wonderful and interesting animals are, and why we need to take care of the ocean.