How It Works

Cool your drink with salt

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There’s a layer of liquid water on the surface of ice, and when you add salt it dissolves into this layer. This dissolved salt slows down the rate at which water molecules can attach to the ice beneath but doesn’t affect the rate at which molecules detach from the solid. The overall effect is more molecules detaching and becoming liquid, allowing the ice to melt without raising the temperatur­e.

If you put a can into an ice bucket only parts of the surface touch the chilly solid, but add salt to the mix and the chilly liquid will completely surround your can, cooling it down much faster.

 ??  ?? Gritters coat the road in salt to lower the freezing point of ice and snow
Gritters coat the road in salt to lower the freezing point of ice and snow

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