A child staying in a coastal region uses his tester (consisting of a magnetic compass) with drinking water and sea water. He observes that
magnetic needle deflects more in the case of sea water.
The conductivity of a solution mainly depends upon the number of dissolved ions present in the solution.
Sea water is more conducting compared to drinking water, as the former has more salts. That is, more number of dissolved ions are present in sea water as compared to drinking water. So, more current flows through sea water than through drinking water.
When a current carrying conductor is kept near a magnetic compass, the compass needle deflects as current can induce a magnetic field.
The higher the current, the higher the deflection. Therefore magnetic needle deflects more in the case of seawater.