Buzz
1. Why is the sea blue?
Tell the little one: The sea is actually colorless, similar to the filtered water we drink every day. However, it appears blue because it reflects the blue color of the sky.
What you should know: The ocean covers a vast area on Earth. Almost everyone loves the sea, including kids, who are often thrilled when their parents take them to the beach. Take advantage of your child's curiosity about the sea to explain why it appears blue, helping them understand more about nature and satisfying their curious minds.
2. Why is the sea salty?
Tell the little one: The saltiness of the sea comes from compounds on Earth's crust flowing into the ocean. Compounds released from mainland volcanoes are also carried down to the sea by the wind. Additionally, compounds beneath the ocean floor contribute to the current salinity of seawater.
What you should know: In 28 liters of seawater, there's about 1 kg of salt, 85% of which is table salt. The salt in seawater accumulates from eroded substances on Earth's crust flowing into the sea. Each year, around 4 billion tons of salt from rivers infiltrate the oceans. Compounds and gases from volcanic eruptions are also carried by wind and rain into the ocean. Moreover, certain compounds beneath the ocean's surface contribute to the saltiness of seawater. Helping your child understand why seawater tastes salty also sets the stage for explaining that table salt we eat is made from seawater. Explain to your child that because seawater is salty, it's not suitable for drinking.
3. Why is the sea colorless but ocean waves appear pure white?
Tell the little one: Ocean waves are a collection of many water molecules. When numerous water molecules gather, they appear white, explaining why you see waves as pure white.
What you should know: Ocean waves consist of shattered glass particles, creating a blurry light effect that produces a white color when observed. While ocean waves are a natural phenomenon for us, they spark great curiosity in children. Explaining why ocean waves appear pure white helps children recognize colors and imparts natural knowledge to them.
4. Why are there sea foam bubbles on the ocean surface?
Tell the little one: The sea contains various substances. When the wind and waves agitate these substances vigorously, it creates small bubbles on the sea surface, known as sea foam.
What you should know: When ocean waves crash onto the shore, they often produce a large amount of sea foam, especially on stormy and windy days. Sea water contains tiny particles such as dissolved salt, proteins, fats, dead algae, and various organic matter. When this mixture is stirred up by strong winds and waves, it creates small bubbles on the sea surface. However, sea foam can also form in polluted water drainage channels or due to harmful algal blooms in shallow coastal areas, and foam from these sources can have negative effects on human health and the environment. Explaining the formation of sea foam will help children gain more knowledge about the sea and remind them not to touch sea foam as it can sometimes be harmful to their health.
5. Why is seawater salty, but fish living in it don't taste salty?
Tell the little one: Inside the scales of fish, there's a special type of cell called salt-secreting cells. This means that after absorbing seawater, these cells help release salt from the fish's body. So, when you eat fish, it doesn't taste salty like seawater.
What you should know: In the gills of bony fish, there's a type of cell with a unique function called salt-secreting cells. Thanks to these cells, they can extract salt from their blood, concentrate it, and secrete it out of the body along with mucous fluid. Because these salt-secreting cells work efficiently, the fish's body maintains low salt content. Explaining this to children not only helps them understand the presence of salt in seawater but also enhances their knowledge about marine life.
6. Do fish ever get thirsty living underwater?
Tell the little one: Saltwater fish never need to feel thirsty to drink water. Drinking water is a natural process that happens without any conscious decision from their bodies. So, saltwater fish never experience the sensation of being thirsty.
What you should know: Fish continually supply water to their bodies, but they never truly feel thirsty. There are two reasons to explain this. Firstly, unlike land animals that need to continuously intake water into their bodies, fish live in water, so they already have an abundance and never feel the essential need to do this. Secondly, in fish, it occurs as an unconditional reflex, happening naturally. They don't necessarily have to feel thirsty to drink water. Explaining this to children will help them understand the difference between fish and humans, as humans drink water when they're thirsty.
