14 DAY TRIAL // Unless you live in some tropical paradise, you are probably all too familiar with ice and know that, although great when added to cocktails, it's pretty darn annoying whenever it decides to set up camp on roads and streets.
The good news is that there is one very simple way to get rid of the ice that forms on the ground during the harsh winter months. Not to beat about the bush, the best solution to this problem is to pour salt over the ice you want to get rid of.
As detailed in the science video below, salt, otherwise known as sodium chloride, breaks up into sodium and chloride when coming into contact with water. These elements then move in between water molecules and keep them from getting together to form ice.
What this means is that, technically speaking, salt does not actually melt ice. Simply put, it keeps water from freezing and forming ice when temperatures drop to 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
The thing about using salt to defrost roads is that, as shown by several investigations, the chloride that hits the environment during winter has the potential to upset natural ecosystems, and even kill small creatures and plants.
Because of this, sand is sometimes used to help remove ice from roads and streets instead of salt. Other compounds that can help keep highways operational during winter are magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and potassium chloride.
