Question

Which process is most responsible for the salt levels of the ocean?

A.
precipitation

B.
transpiration

C.
evaporation

D.
sedimentation

Answer 1

C. evaporation

Evaporation removes pure water from the ocean but leaves dissolved salts behind, concentrating them. Precipitation and runoff bring fresh water (diluting salinity), transpiration mainly moves water through plants, and sedimentation tends to remove particles/ions, so evaporation is the key process controlling ocean salt levels.