Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

Salt vs. ice

When winter arrives, the temperature drops. If this temperature drops to about 0°C, then snow and/or ice may appear, which is the freezing temperature of pure water at sea level: zero degrees.

But what happens is that as the water cools, the water molecules tend to be ordered and packed neatly. At zero degrees the molecules are completely ordered and packed, so they can’t even move; the water solidifies; it freezes.

During the addition of the salt, the molecules of the salt penetrate between the molecules of water and form a mixture between the two. Since the freezing temperature of this salt water is lower than that of pure water, it remains in a liquid state and does not freeze. Or the water that was frozen melts because it turns into salty ice with the addition of salt.

In addition, the higher the salt content in the water, the lower the freezing point will be. However, below -20°C, the salt water also freezes.

The snow and ice itself can be very playful, but also annoying for drivers and pedestrians. For them, salt is one of the solutions.