How Does Salt Melt Ice?

Each Winter, tons of Rock Salt are spread on snow covered roads and sidewalks in many parts of the world. While the effects of salts on frozen water are well known, the reason for there effects remains a mystery!!.

Salt has the ability to melt solid ice on a cold day. There is no chemical reaction but it is physical reaction that takes place.

Ice usually has a very thin layer of water on top of it. When salt is thrown on ice, some of it dissolves into this layer of water forming a thin layer of Salt Water, which has lower freezing point than Fresh Water.

When a salt goes from its solid state into solution, a little heat is released, This melts another thin layer of ice, allowing more salt to dissolve and create more Salt Water.

As this process continues all the Ice gets melted.