Why does salt melt ice?

Salt melts ice essentially because adding salt lowers the freezing point of the water. How does this melt ice? Well, it doesn't, unless there is a little water available with the ice. The good news is you don't need a pool of water to achieve the effect. Ice typically is coated with a thin film of liquid water, which is all it takes.

Read on!

Keywords: freezing point of water, colligative properties, ice, salt, freezing point depression