The dead sea

When you hear this name you might think it is an abandoned place where everything is dead, but this spot is the ideal holiday for many tourists. It is believed that the minerals found in the water offer many therapeutic benefits, in addition to high water salinity which means it is easy to float, Have you ever wondered why the Dead Sea is called this name, and why many people drown in it despite the salinity of high water.



The Dead Sea is located between Jordan and Palestine. Its water is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. In 2011, the water salinity was estimated at 34.2%. This percentage is more saline than the water of the ocean by about 10 times , The sea shrinks every year and becomes more salty. This high percentage has been able to prevent plant and animal life for thousands of years.
The chemical composition of water is not uniform, there are two classes for each one a different salinity, and different temperature, different intensity, different salt concentration in general, depending on the depth and the season, and with the average salt concentration increased to 31.5% during the floods, can salinity drops to less than 30%, however , The salinity of water increases because of the large amounts of water lost in evaporation.
The reason for the unavailability of life in the Dead Sea is because of the ions that affect the cytotoxic pressure of the cells, which exits all the water inside the cells. This kills the plant and animal cells and prevents fungal and bacterial cells from thriving, but the Dead Sea is not really dead because it supports the life of certain bacteria and fungi , For example, there is a type of algae called Dunaliella - live in the Dead Sea, as well as a type of bacteria called Halo bactéries and is a salt water lover.
What we have talked about before it is very difficult to sink people into the Dead Sea because of its high salinity, but a large number of people find themselves in trouble when swimming in the Dead Sea. The problem here is not in drowning but in swallowing water wrongly, The imbalance of the electrolyte solution occurs inside the body. The kidneys and heart can also be damaged. The Dead Sea is the second most dangerous place to swim in Palestine, although there are many rescuers to help prevent deaths.

• ps : I have translated the article from arabic to english from a magazine named : مجلة وسع صدرك

• photos sources : photo 1
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