Ice Salt and Ice Melt

Ice salt is basically used to melt thick snow that blocks the roads during winter season in countries which experience extreme weather conditions. If you reside in a country where snowfall is common during winter season, you must have noticed the use of salt on the snow by the highway department. This process helps in melting ice that creates road blockage.

Salt is one of the most effective ice melters easily available to anyone. Sometimes it is also used in homes to make ice cream. Salt basically lowers the melting or the freezing point of water and hence is used to melt as well as freeze water or ice.

The product takes advantage of this lowering of melting point to melt the ice on the roads and highways during winter season and heavy snowfall. Ice is formed when the temperature of water drops to 0 degree Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Adding salt to frozen water makes the temperature to drop even more. A solution containing 10% salt will reach its freezing point at -6 degrees Celsius or 20 degrees Fahrenheit and a solution consisting of 20% salt will freeze at -16 degree Celsius or 2 degree Fahrenheit. Hence, the freezing point becomes lower and by sprinkling salt on the ice on the road, you can melt the ice. The salt that is added to the ice gets dissolved into the liquid portion of the ice and results in lowering the freezing point of the ice, thus melting it fast.

Ice salt is added to ice until the melting starts and until the salt particles stop dissolving in frozen water. You will notice that the immediate region in contact with salt particles have started melting and gradually spreads to the entire area. However, if the temperature of the roadway is less than 15 degree Fahrenheit, then salt articles will not be able to dissolve into the frozen water. In such a case, sand is spread on the top and then ice salt is added for the melting purpose.

The process of melting ice with ice salt is based on colligative property of water. This property is based on the amount of particles contained in a substance. Liquid solvents exhibit colligative property. Hence, the more particles are there inside the substance, the more will be the melting power.

Sodium chloride is not the only form of ice salt used for ice melting. It is not even the best choice for ice melting. A molecule of sodium chloride breaks into chloride ion and sodium ion. A compound that will break up into several ions when inside water will actually lower the freezing point. Hence, it is important to have such a compound which breaks up into numerous ions in the solution.

A good choice will be calcium chloride ice melt because it breaks into 2 chloride ions and 1 calcium ion unlike sodium chloride which breaks into one each. Hence, calcium chloride will be a better choice for ice salt. Rock Salt ice melt, magnesium chloride ice melt, Potassium chloride ice melt and Ammonium sulfate ice melt are also good options.