What is the most abundant metal in sea water

I suspect Mg ion

a google search turned up data showing that Na is about 8 times the concentration of Mg. (by mass)

So, since Na is lighter than Mg, it would be even more abundant, counting the number of atoms present.

I sort of consider NaCl as defining salt water :)

Hmm. Hadn't considered that take on it. You may be right...

The most abundant metal in seawater is sodium. Sodium is a highly reactive metal, and it is present in seawater predominantly in the form of sodium chloride (NaCl), which is commonly known as table salt.

To determine the most abundant metal in seawater, you can follow these steps:

1. Understand the composition of seawater: Seawater is made up of several dissolved salts and other substances. The average composition of seawater is approximately 96.5% water and 3.5% dissolved salts.

2. Recognize the role of sodium: Sodium is one of the main elements in seawater, making up the majority of the dissolved salts. It is present as sodium ions (Na+) in solution, which are formed when sodium donates an electron to chloride ions (Cl-) from salt.

3. Check the abundance of other metals: While sodium is the most abundant metal in seawater, there are also other metals present, albeit in much lower concentrations. Some examples include magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

In conclusion, sodium is the most abundant metal in seawater, primarily in the form of sodium chloride (table salt).