It appears that we all had a correct assumption in the salt and boiling water theory.
By adding salt to your water, it will raise the temperature in which it will boil.
Water will boil slightly faster with salt in it.
Salt will also lower the freezing point of water.
To sum up the idea while salt water has a higher boiling point than regular water, the salt water heats up faster than the regular water, so it gets hotter faster.
Here is some information that I found to back up the theory:
But in general, the idea is that in order for something to boil, enough energy must be absorbed by it to cause vibrations large enough to enhance the kinetic energy of each molecule to the point where they break away from the coulombic forces that hold them together in the original liquid.
When a more massive solid is dissolved into such a liquid, the energy goes into not only exciting each water molecule to a higher kinetic energy but also each salt molecule to a higher kinetic energy. The more massive salt molecules themselves need a larger contribution of energy in order to excite them. This takes away from the contribution to the water molecules. The increased density ends up requiring more energy for the same amount of excitation that would lead to the boiling of the water.
Put another way, the salt molecules weigh down the water molecules and restrict their movement. This perhaps is easier to visualize.
Using the same logic, you may be able to see that the salt will lower the freezing point as well. And this is why salt (or even better, calcium chloride, an even heavier compound) is used on snow or ice to force it from a solid state back into a liquid state. The salt is an additional impediment to the water molecules' easy organization, so just a small amount of energy is needed to break that solid crystal organization up.
I think it's fair to say that salt or no salt....the oatmeal still tastes good! (or slimy)
✟Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
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- We have been happily married for 19 wonderful years. God has blessed us richly with 2 daughters and a son. We are followers of Jesus Christ, and strive to follow Him faithfully! We believe the Bible to be the absolute truth!! We are a home school family who look to honor God in every part of our daily lives! Remember to live with a grateful attitude! When you start to complain or have a negative attitude...remember to praise God for Who HE is and the GREAT things HE has done!
2 comments:
My oatmeal always ends up soggy... I think the salt is against me!
I love oatmeal too - the real stuff - not that instant goop. I never thought about the timing of putting the salt into the water. What in interesting conversation you all had without me. maybe I'll be at the next planning meeting. Or maybe not. A person just never knows what the future holds.
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