Salt Lake

geology · lakes · chemistry

Super salty water. Salt lakes contain way more salt and minerals than regular lakes because water keeps evaporating but the salt stays behind, making the water saltier and saltier over time.

Landlocked forever. Salt lakes are surrounded completely by land with no outlet to the sea, so the salty water has nowhere to go except to keep getting more concentrated.

Pink colored water. Some salt lakes are so salty they turn pink or red because of tiny algae and bacteria that love living in super salty water.

Saltier than ocean. Hypersaline lakes can have even more salt dissolved in them than seawater, making them extra thick and buoyant so things float really easily.

Soda lakes too. Some salt lakes have high amounts of carbonate minerals that make them alkaline, and people sometimes call these soda lakes because of their special mineral mix.