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How Does Salt Affect the Boiling Point of Water? Essay

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Running head: HOW does saLT AFFECT THE BOILING POINT OF WATER? 1

How Does Salt Affect the Boiling Point of Water?
Elizabeth Mompoint
Everglades High School

HOW does saLT AFFECT THE BOILING POINT OF WATER? 2

Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether or not salt would affect the boiling point of water. Much of the research I conducted rejected my hypothesis which stated: if I add salt to water, then the boiling point of the water will decrease. Factors such as colligative properties determine how a solvent will behave once it becomes a solution (Bradley, 2006). Much of the research involved used boiling point elevation as a method to explain why …show more content…

Basically, water is known as a solvent and salt is known as a non-volatile solute. When you add salt to water, it makes water become an impure solvent and raises its boiling point above that of the pure solvent (Action Donation Services, 2006).
The boiling point of water rises if you add salt to it, but only by about 2°C to 102°C (Southwest Research Institute, 2012). As soon as any of the salt dissolves in the water, the boiling point of the water will begin to rise by about one half degree Celsius for every 58 grams of salt dissolved per kilogram of water (Yahoo! Answers, 2012).
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Conclusion
To recap, salt raises the boiling temperature of water, but only by a small degree. However, it is used in cooking because adding salt to water makes the water hotter, not boil faster (Maureen, 2010). The greater boiling temperature will allow foods such as noodles and potatoes to cook faster and more thoroughly (Chen, 2013). This fact most likely led to the misconception that salt lowers the boiling point of water which makes it boil faster, however, this is incorrect.

HOW does saLT AFFECT THE BOILING POINT OF WATER? 5
References
Helmenstine, A. M. (2012). Does adding salt lower the boiling point of

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