Final answer:
The coefficient 1.835 is used to calculate salinity from chlorinity, representing the ratio of total dissolved salts to chlorinity. This empirical relationship is based on the principle that the chloride ion constitutes about 55.04% of the mass of all dissolved salts in seawater. By multiplying chlorinity by 1.835, we can estimate the total salinity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The coefficient 1.835 used to calculate salinity from chlorinity is derived from empirical relationships established by oceanographers. It represents the ratio of the total dissolved salts to the chlorinity. Chlorinity itself is a measure of the total mass of halogen ions (chiefly chloride, bromide, and iodide) in water. Through extensive measurement of seawater, it was determined that the average chloride ion (Cl-) constitutes approximately 55.04% of the mass of all dissolved salts in seawater. Because chlorine (as chloride) is the most dominant ion, it is often measured to estimate the total salinity.
To obtain a rough estimate of the total salinity, one would multiply the chlorinity by the factor 1.835. This coefficient is based on the principle that the weight ratio of other constituents of sea salt (mainly sodium, but also including magnesium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonates, bromides, sulfates, etc.) to chlorinity is more or less constant in ocean water. Therefore, by knowing the chlorinity, we can approximate the total salinity.
For example, in a situation where the relative atomic mass of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) adds up (23.0 + 35.45) to 58.45 for sodium chloride (NaCl), and other salts also contribute to the overall salinity, the coefficient helps standardize calculations to yield a consistent and accurate measure of the total salinity of seawater.