• Question: Why don't the oceans freeze?

    Asked by danniella1588 to Colm, Eoin, Joseph, Lauren, Stephen on 13 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: colm bracken

      colm bracken answered on 13 Nov 2013:

      The oceans on Earth are made from salt water. Salt water
      has a lower freezing point than fresh water. This means the water can be below zero degrees but still be liquid!

    • Photo: Stephen Scully

      Stephen Scully answered on 13 Nov 2013:

      Oceans will freeze when the temperature is lower than the freezing point. This is the case for the polar caps. These polar caps are actually frozen ocean water. The entire ocean doesn’t freeze as it is kept above the freezing point by salt in the water and ocean currents mixing in warmer water.

    • Photo: Joseph Roche

      Joseph Roche answered on 16 Nov 2013:

      Salt.

      The mineral, not the mediocre Angelina Jolie movie.

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