why will a shipwrecked crew die if they drink saltwater?

Question

why will a shipwrecked crew die if they drink saltwater?

Answer 1

Basically because of a phenomenon called Osmosis, which is the exchange of water or other liquids through a membrane in order to get an equilibrium between dissolved substances and the pressure on the membrane.



The liquids in the human body have a salt content of roughly 0.9% (aka isotonic solution). Sea water has salt contents up to 3.5% (disregarding the Dead Sea and similar evaporation basins).



Low salt content water (from the body cells) will go through the membranes into the salt water. Effectively, the body dries up even though a person has drunk salt water.



Note, however, that salt water near isotonic values can be drunk in case of emergencies. E.g. before river mouths or in inland seas or bays, freshwater addition can dilute sea water to survivable salt contents.

Answer 2

1.too much salt leads to de-hydration.

2.too much salt also leads to high blood pressure.

3.too much salt also will eventually damage the liver.