The highest salinity would be found in which of the following areas?
a. high rates of precipitation
b. high evaporation
c. plenty of runoff
d. all of the above

would b be the correct answer? i'm sure runoff would effect it too. but me ! haha

B. High evaporation

Explanation:

   The main factors controlling salinity are: (a) balance between evaporation and precipitation, which increases and decreases the concentration of salts in water respectively; (b) degree of mixing between surface and deep water. The way water circulates through the Earth-Atmosphere system is through the Hydrological Cycle. Water is constantly evaporating from the sea surface and increased water vapor content, most (90%) return to the oceans in the form of rain (precipitation).

    Measurement of salinity is of fundamental importance in oceanographic studies, as variations in salt content have effects on density fields, as well as assisting in the identification of water bodies (these issues will be addressed in the future). In 1 kilogram of seawater there is on average 35 grams of dissolved compounds called inorganic salts, ie 96.5% of seawater consists of pure water and 3.5% of salts.

    The composition of seawater is quite diverse and contains most of the known elements, but the most abundant (conservative) elements are only six, representing 99.28% of the total weight of dissolved material (Table 1), with salt The most abundant is NaCl (table salt) which corresponds to 86%. The total amount of dissolved salts in the oceans is estimated at 5 x 106 tons, this amount would be able to cover the earth with a 40 meter thick layer of salts only.