Does Salt Stop Ice from Melting?

In the frosty kingdom of WinterWonders, curious child Sam wondered if a sprinkle of salt could magically freeze ice in its tracks—a trick as old as winter itself. He visited Frost Fairy Zoe, who explained that salt doesn’t stop ice from melting; instead, it lowers the freezing point of water—a process called “freezing point depression.” Imagine salt as a mischievous imp that interferes with water’s natural spell to form solid ice. Experts from the Cold Chemistry Guild say that while salt is often used to melt ice on roads (by preventing water from refreezing), it does not actually “stop” ice from melting; rather, it causes the ice to melt at a lower temperature. Zoe advised that in very cold conditions, salt may be less effective, as the temperature can drop far below the new freezing point. Sam learned that the magic of salt is in its ability to disrupt water’s crystalline structure—not in preserving ice, but in hastening its transformation back into liquid. In WinterWonders, every grain of salt plays its part in the delicate balance of water’s phase—a clever, scientific trick that is both useful and fascinating.