Charlie King, age 14, of Inverness, Miss. for his question:

Do the fresh rivers make the sea salty?

Rivers of fresh water have been flowing into the oceans for countless millions of years. The fresh river water begins as falling rain. It runs over the hard ground or sinks into the soft soil and porous rocks, Many chemicals in the ground dissolve in water and run away with the rushing streams. A small percentage of dissolved chemicals is carried in the so called fresh river water and dumped into the sea.

The sea never gives up these salts and other chemicals. Its surface water evaporates into vapor, but the load of chemicals stays behind. Meantime, the rivers are robbing the land and dumping still more loot into the ocean. The seas are getting saltier all the time.