A Synopsis of the Chemical/Physical Properties of Seawater

Abstract : Engineering materials exposed to seawater are subjected to various deteriorating reactions throughout their lifetime. Chemical reactions that take place in seawater can be attributed to the solvent properties of water, ion- water and ion-ion interactions. Many properties of seawater, such as density, thermal expansion, temperature of maximum density, viscosity, speed of sound, vapor pressure, etc., change with changing salt content. A knowledge of the way these parameters change, as well as processes that cause the changes, is essential to the design of systems that will effectively operate in the ocean. The following is a synopsis of the chemical and physical properties of seawater that are known to have an impact on ocean engineering. Reprints.