How Does Salt Affect the Boiling Point of Water? Essay Example
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 the boiling point of water is affected by salt. Although my hypothesis was refuted, the research allowed me to understand the actual reason for the use of salt while cooking and it also helped to answer my question of how salt helps food cook faster.
HOW does saLT AFFECT THE BOILING POINT OF WATER? 3
How Does Salt Affect the Boiling Point of Water? As a child, I was always told that adding a pinch of salt to water while cooking will help the food cook faster. This is what led me to ask the question: How does adding salt to water help make the food cook faster? Maybe it had something to do with the boiling point of the water. I assumed that if the food was able to cook faster it was because the boiling point of the water was lowered and that the water was able to boil at a faster rate. Thus, I created a hypothesis: If I add salt to water, then the boiling point of the water will decrease. However, there was much evidence that proved this to be otherwise. Adding salt to water actually increases the boiling point of water, a phenomena known as boiling point elevation. Boiling point elevation is a colligative property, which are properties of solutions that depend on the number of
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 the boiling point of water is affected by salt. Although my hypothesis was refuted, the research allowed me to understand the actual reason for the use of salt while cooking and it also helped to answer my question of how salt helps food cook faster.
HOW does saLT AFFECT THE BOILING POINT OF WATER? 3
How Does Salt Affect the Boiling Point of Water? As a child, I was always told that adding a pinch of salt to water while cooking will help the food cook faster. This is what led me to ask the question: How does adding salt to water help make the food cook faster? Maybe it had something to do with the boiling point of the water. I assumed that if the food was able to cook faster it was because the boiling point of the water was lowered and that the water was able to boil at a faster rate. Thus, I created a hypothesis: If I add salt to water, then the boiling point of the water will decrease. However, there was much evidence that proved this to be otherwise. Adding salt to water actually increases the boiling point of water, a phenomena known as boiling point elevation. Boiling point elevation is a colligative property, which are properties of solutions that depend on the number of