Chemical composition of seawater

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Is it true that the sea water is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals? The chemical formula of water is $ceH2O$ (two hydrogen and one oxgen) that shows that the number of hydrogen is greater than that of oxygen.



If the number of hydrogen is greater, then why does the sea water consist of $11%$ hydrogen and $86%$ oxygen, which is lesser than the oxygen?



The book which I am reading says which is confusing me:




... Seawater is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals, consisting mainly of sodium and chlorine.











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    4














    Is it true that the sea water is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals? The chemical formula of water is $ceH2O$ (two hydrogen and one oxgen) that shows that the number of hydrogen is greater than that of oxygen.



    If the number of hydrogen is greater, then why does the sea water consist of $11%$ hydrogen and $86%$ oxygen, which is lesser than the oxygen?



    The book which I am reading says which is confusing me:




    ... Seawater is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals, consisting mainly of sodium and chlorine.











    share|improve this question


























      4












      4








      4







      Is it true that the sea water is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals? The chemical formula of water is $ceH2O$ (two hydrogen and one oxgen) that shows that the number of hydrogen is greater than that of oxygen.



      If the number of hydrogen is greater, then why does the sea water consist of $11%$ hydrogen and $86%$ oxygen, which is lesser than the oxygen?



      The book which I am reading says which is confusing me:




      ... Seawater is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals, consisting mainly of sodium and chlorine.











      share|improve this question















      Is it true that the sea water is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals? The chemical formula of water is $ceH2O$ (two hydrogen and one oxgen) that shows that the number of hydrogen is greater than that of oxygen.



      If the number of hydrogen is greater, then why does the sea water consist of $11%$ hydrogen and $86%$ oxygen, which is lesser than the oxygen?



      The book which I am reading says which is confusing me:




      ... Seawater is composed of about $86%$ oxygen, $11%$ hydrogen and $3%$ of minerals, consisting mainly of sodium and chlorine.








      water elements






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      edited Dec 17 at 20:32









      andselisk

      13.1k64698




      13.1k64698










      asked Dec 17 at 19:10









      Ahmed

      1264




      1264




















          2 Answers
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          8














          The book that you're reading is measuring by mass.



          If you have pure water then you would expect oxygen to make up $frac1616 + 2times 100% approx 89 % $ by mass. Likewise, hydrogen would make up $frac216 + 2times 100% approx 11 % $ by mass.






          share|improve this answer




























            7














            As it has already been mentioned, these are mass percentages, which are a bit imprecise. For the reference, CRC handbook of chemistry and physics [1, p. 14-17] lists elements' abundances in seawater near the surface in $pumg L-1$, alphabetically. I took 15 (starting with 16th element $omega < 10^-4~%$) most abundant elements from that array and calculated mass percentage for each:



            beginarrayllr
            hline
            textElement & rho_i/pumg L-1 & omega/% \
            hline
            ceO & pu8.57E5 & 85.8443 \
            ceH & pu1.08E5 & 10.8182 \
            ceCl & pu1.94E4 & 1.9433 \
            ceNa & pu1.08E4 & 1.0818 \
            ceMg & pu1.29E3 & 0.1292 \
            ceS & pu9.05E2 & 0.0907 \
            ceCa & pu4.12E2 & 0.0413 \
            ceK & pu3.99E2 & 0.0400 \
            ceBr & pu6.73E1 & 0.0067 \
            ceC & pu2.80E1 & 0.0028 \
            ceSr & pu7.9 & 0.0008 \
            ceB & pu4.44 & 0.0004 \
            ceSi & pu2.2 & 0.0002 \
            ceF & pu1.3 & 0.0001 \
            ceN & pu5.00E-1 & 0.0001 \
            hline
            endarray



            References



            1. Haynes, W. M.; Lide, D. R.; Bruno, T. J. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics: A Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data.; 2017; Vol. 97.





            share|improve this answer






















            • You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
              – Mr Lister
              Dec 18 at 10:50










            Your Answer





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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            8














            The book that you're reading is measuring by mass.



            If you have pure water then you would expect oxygen to make up $frac1616 + 2times 100% approx 89 % $ by mass. Likewise, hydrogen would make up $frac216 + 2times 100% approx 11 % $ by mass.






            share|improve this answer

























              8














              The book that you're reading is measuring by mass.



              If you have pure water then you would expect oxygen to make up $frac1616 + 2times 100% approx 89 % $ by mass. Likewise, hydrogen would make up $frac216 + 2times 100% approx 11 % $ by mass.






              share|improve this answer























                8












                8








                8






                The book that you're reading is measuring by mass.



                If you have pure water then you would expect oxygen to make up $frac1616 + 2times 100% approx 89 % $ by mass. Likewise, hydrogen would make up $frac216 + 2times 100% approx 11 % $ by mass.






                share|improve this answer












                The book that you're reading is measuring by mass.



                If you have pure water then you would expect oxygen to make up $frac1616 + 2times 100% approx 89 % $ by mass. Likewise, hydrogen would make up $frac216 + 2times 100% approx 11 % $ by mass.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Dec 17 at 19:23









                PJ R

                74912




                74912





















                    7














                    As it has already been mentioned, these are mass percentages, which are a bit imprecise. For the reference, CRC handbook of chemistry and physics [1, p. 14-17] lists elements' abundances in seawater near the surface in $pumg L-1$, alphabetically. I took 15 (starting with 16th element $omega < 10^-4~%$) most abundant elements from that array and calculated mass percentage for each:



                    beginarrayllr
                    hline
                    textElement & rho_i/pumg L-1 & omega/% \
                    hline
                    ceO & pu8.57E5 & 85.8443 \
                    ceH & pu1.08E5 & 10.8182 \
                    ceCl & pu1.94E4 & 1.9433 \
                    ceNa & pu1.08E4 & 1.0818 \
                    ceMg & pu1.29E3 & 0.1292 \
                    ceS & pu9.05E2 & 0.0907 \
                    ceCa & pu4.12E2 & 0.0413 \
                    ceK & pu3.99E2 & 0.0400 \
                    ceBr & pu6.73E1 & 0.0067 \
                    ceC & pu2.80E1 & 0.0028 \
                    ceSr & pu7.9 & 0.0008 \
                    ceB & pu4.44 & 0.0004 \
                    ceSi & pu2.2 & 0.0002 \
                    ceF & pu1.3 & 0.0001 \
                    ceN & pu5.00E-1 & 0.0001 \
                    hline
                    endarray



                    References



                    1. Haynes, W. M.; Lide, D. R.; Bruno, T. J. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics: A Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data.; 2017; Vol. 97.





                    share|improve this answer






















                    • You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
                      – Mr Lister
                      Dec 18 at 10:50















                    7














                    As it has already been mentioned, these are mass percentages, which are a bit imprecise. For the reference, CRC handbook of chemistry and physics [1, p. 14-17] lists elements' abundances in seawater near the surface in $pumg L-1$, alphabetically. I took 15 (starting with 16th element $omega < 10^-4~%$) most abundant elements from that array and calculated mass percentage for each:



                    beginarrayllr
                    hline
                    textElement & rho_i/pumg L-1 & omega/% \
                    hline
                    ceO & pu8.57E5 & 85.8443 \
                    ceH & pu1.08E5 & 10.8182 \
                    ceCl & pu1.94E4 & 1.9433 \
                    ceNa & pu1.08E4 & 1.0818 \
                    ceMg & pu1.29E3 & 0.1292 \
                    ceS & pu9.05E2 & 0.0907 \
                    ceCa & pu4.12E2 & 0.0413 \
                    ceK & pu3.99E2 & 0.0400 \
                    ceBr & pu6.73E1 & 0.0067 \
                    ceC & pu2.80E1 & 0.0028 \
                    ceSr & pu7.9 & 0.0008 \
                    ceB & pu4.44 & 0.0004 \
                    ceSi & pu2.2 & 0.0002 \
                    ceF & pu1.3 & 0.0001 \
                    ceN & pu5.00E-1 & 0.0001 \
                    hline
                    endarray



                    References



                    1. Haynes, W. M.; Lide, D. R.; Bruno, T. J. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics: A Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data.; 2017; Vol. 97.





                    share|improve this answer






















                    • You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
                      – Mr Lister
                      Dec 18 at 10:50













                    7












                    7








                    7






                    As it has already been mentioned, these are mass percentages, which are a bit imprecise. For the reference, CRC handbook of chemistry and physics [1, p. 14-17] lists elements' abundances in seawater near the surface in $pumg L-1$, alphabetically. I took 15 (starting with 16th element $omega < 10^-4~%$) most abundant elements from that array and calculated mass percentage for each:



                    beginarrayllr
                    hline
                    textElement & rho_i/pumg L-1 & omega/% \
                    hline
                    ceO & pu8.57E5 & 85.8443 \
                    ceH & pu1.08E5 & 10.8182 \
                    ceCl & pu1.94E4 & 1.9433 \
                    ceNa & pu1.08E4 & 1.0818 \
                    ceMg & pu1.29E3 & 0.1292 \
                    ceS & pu9.05E2 & 0.0907 \
                    ceCa & pu4.12E2 & 0.0413 \
                    ceK & pu3.99E2 & 0.0400 \
                    ceBr & pu6.73E1 & 0.0067 \
                    ceC & pu2.80E1 & 0.0028 \
                    ceSr & pu7.9 & 0.0008 \
                    ceB & pu4.44 & 0.0004 \
                    ceSi & pu2.2 & 0.0002 \
                    ceF & pu1.3 & 0.0001 \
                    ceN & pu5.00E-1 & 0.0001 \
                    hline
                    endarray



                    References



                    1. Haynes, W. M.; Lide, D. R.; Bruno, T. J. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics: A Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data.; 2017; Vol. 97.





                    share|improve this answer














                    As it has already been mentioned, these are mass percentages, which are a bit imprecise. For the reference, CRC handbook of chemistry and physics [1, p. 14-17] lists elements' abundances in seawater near the surface in $pumg L-1$, alphabetically. I took 15 (starting with 16th element $omega < 10^-4~%$) most abundant elements from that array and calculated mass percentage for each:



                    beginarrayllr
                    hline
                    textElement & rho_i/pumg L-1 & omega/% \
                    hline
                    ceO & pu8.57E5 & 85.8443 \
                    ceH & pu1.08E5 & 10.8182 \
                    ceCl & pu1.94E4 & 1.9433 \
                    ceNa & pu1.08E4 & 1.0818 \
                    ceMg & pu1.29E3 & 0.1292 \
                    ceS & pu9.05E2 & 0.0907 \
                    ceCa & pu4.12E2 & 0.0413 \
                    ceK & pu3.99E2 & 0.0400 \
                    ceBr & pu6.73E1 & 0.0067 \
                    ceC & pu2.80E1 & 0.0028 \
                    ceSr & pu7.9 & 0.0008 \
                    ceB & pu4.44 & 0.0004 \
                    ceSi & pu2.2 & 0.0002 \
                    ceF & pu1.3 & 0.0001 \
                    ceN & pu5.00E-1 & 0.0001 \
                    hline
                    endarray



                    References



                    1. Haynes, W. M.; Lide, D. R.; Bruno, T. J. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics: A Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data.; 2017; Vol. 97.






                    share|improve this answer














                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited Dec 17 at 22:51

























                    answered Dec 17 at 20:29









                    andselisk

                    13.1k64698




                    13.1k64698











                    • You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
                      – Mr Lister
                      Dec 18 at 10:50
















                    • You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
                      – Mr Lister
                      Dec 18 at 10:50















                    You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
                    – Mr Lister
                    Dec 18 at 10:50




                    You say the numbers are a bit imprecise, but they have to be, because not all seawater is the same!
                    – Mr Lister
                    Dec 18 at 10:50

















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