We had to put salt on the step this morning and we see it is now a puddle of water.Why is this? How does salt melt the ice?There we learned that the answer has to do with melting points. Most people know that water freezes at a temperature of OºC. Salt dissolves fairly rapidly in ice, lowering its freezing point in an effect known as freezing point depression, and melting it in the process.You've also probably noticed the effect of salt water on freezing points if you've tried to make ice cream or if you've wondered why the ocean doesn't freeze at the same time as bodies of fresh water, such as rivers, lakes, and ponds.On a roadway, this means...
