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Chlorine
Chlorine is the most abundant element in seawater, apart from the hydrogen and oxygen atoms that make up the water itself. Because chlorine is a highly reactive gas, it is not found in its pure state in nature. In seawater, chlorine occurs in the form of negatively charged chloride ions. Chlorine accounts for 1.92 percent of seawater's weight, and 55.29 percent of the weight of its dissolved solids.
Sodium
Sodium is the second most common constituent of seawater. Elemental sodium reacts violently with water. In solution, however, sodium ions are essential to animal life in the seas and on land. The 11th element on the periodic table of elements, sodium comprises roughly 1.07 percent of seawater by weight, and about 30.74 percent of its dissolved solids. Together, sodium and chloride ions form common table salt. Seawater tastes salty largely because it contains about a teaspoon of sodium chloride for every eight ounces of water.
Sulfur
Sulfur makes up 0.27 percent of seawater, and accounts for about 7.7 percent of the weight of its dissolved solids. It occurs primarily as sulfate ions; these are negatively charged particles comprising a single sulfur atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. Water from landlocked seas like the Dead Sea has a higher concentration of magnesium sulfate and sodium sulfate than do samples from open oceans. Sulfur and salt frequently occur together in land deposits left over from the evaporation of ancient seas.
Magnesium
Positively charged magnesium ions account for 0.12 percent of seawater's weight; that's about 3.7 percent of the weight of its solids. This light metallic element forms magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride salts as seawater evaporates. Magnesium chloride gives sea salt its characteristic bitter flavor. Spas and drugstores refer to hydrated magnesium sulfate as Epsom salt.