Human kidneys cannot make urine that is more than 2% salt (NaCl). Seawater is ab
ID: 3513706 • Letter: H
Question
Human kidneys cannot make urine that is more than 2% salt (NaCl). Seawater is about 3% salt. Suppose you and your best friend have been lost at sea in a small boat for several days. Yesterday you drank the last of your fresh water (water without salt). You are both now so thirsty that you are desperate for something to drink. Your friend decides that drinking seawater has got to be better than drinking nothing. Is he right about that? If he is wrong, how would you explain it to him to change his mind?
Explanation / Answer
He's definitely wrong
because seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking in water and salt. While humans can safely ingest small amounts of salt, the salt content in seawater is much higher than what can be processed by the human body. Additionally, when we consume salt as part of our daily diets, we also drink liquids, which help to dilute the salt and keep it at a healthy level. Living cells do depend on sodium chloride (salt) to maintain the body’s chemical balances and reactions; however, too much sodium can be deadly.
Human kidneys can only make urine that is less salty than salt water. Therefore, to get rid of all the excess salt taken in by drinking seawater, you have to urinate more water than you drank. Eventually, you die of dehydration even as you become thirstier.
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