why does using salt chill drinks so fast?
Why does using salt cause snow to melt much faster? (Analogy)
If you mean adding salt to ice, the salt lowers the freezing point of water, the ice melts, the heat to melt the ice must come from somewhere, and that somewhere is from the water in the mixture. That causes the water to become colder than zero degrees C.
Using salt can chill drinks so fast due to a scientific process called "freezing point depression." When we add salt to water, it lowers the freezing point of the water.
Typically, water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. However, when we dissolve salt in water, it disrupts the crystal structure of ice and makes it harder for water molecules to come together and form ice crystals. This results in a lower freezing point for the saltwater solution.
When you place a cold drink in a container surrounded by ice and add salt, the salt lowers the freezing point of the melted ice around the drink. The lower freezing point means that the ice melts at a lower temperature than 0 degrees Celsius. As a result, the surrounding ice absorbs extra heat from the drink to melt, which rapidly cools the drink.
Furthermore, the process of dissolving salt in water is an endothermic reaction, meaning it absorbs heat from its surroundings. So, when salt dissolves in the ice around the drink, it absorbs heat from the surroundings, including the drink itself, further cooling it down.
In summary, adding salt to ice reduces the freezing point of the ice, causing it to melt at a lower temperature. This melting process absorbs heat from the drink, leading to a rapid cooling effect.