Okay it is now that season where we need to melt the ice on the sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, and other places. Everybody has their opinion on what to use to melt the ice. Our two contenders; weighing in at about 58.4 g/mol and in white is salt; weighing in at about 60 g/mol in brown is sand.
So the question is which of these two is going to come out at the top? Let the fight begin.
Salt
Salt is very strong is it likes to remove the ice completely from the fight. It does this by lowering the freezing temperature of the ice from 32 F/ 0 C to 0 F/ -18 C. This happens because the atomic structure of water with the salt requires a lower temperature to reach the point of wanting to get close together. Salt's strength is also its weakness. Because it lowers the freezing temp. it must get the job done before it gets too cold. Salt also like to destroy other things in the ring besides ice. It isn't the biggest friend to steal or concrete. Most industries that use steal and concrete have found ways to prevent this damage.
Sand
Sand like to man handle his opponents. He likes to put more friction on the ice. This allows the cars to drive on it and not slip, even in very cold weather. Unlike salt though, sand freeze to the ice if it gets wet or another layer of ice gets on top of it. In places of high traffic sand also is easily removed from the salt. Sand does not cause damage to other things beside maybe crops and to clean up crews.
Outcome
It is a tie everybody. They both do a great job against the ice. They do the job in their own way, and they make a great team when in needs to be done. So the choice is yours of which you want to use. Sand is dirty and it just allows friction on the ice as long it is on the surface. Salt melts the ice as long as it is not too cold.
So the question is which of these two is going to come out at the top? Let the fight begin.
Salt
Salt is very strong is it likes to remove the ice completely from the fight. It does this by lowering the freezing temperature of the ice from 32 F/ 0 C to 0 F/ -18 C. This happens because the atomic structure of water with the salt requires a lower temperature to reach the point of wanting to get close together. Salt's strength is also its weakness. Because it lowers the freezing temp. it must get the job done before it gets too cold. Salt also like to destroy other things in the ring besides ice. It isn't the biggest friend to steal or concrete. Most industries that use steal and concrete have found ways to prevent this damage.
Sand
Sand like to man handle his opponents. He likes to put more friction on the ice. This allows the cars to drive on it and not slip, even in very cold weather. Unlike salt though, sand freeze to the ice if it gets wet or another layer of ice gets on top of it. In places of high traffic sand also is easily removed from the salt. Sand does not cause damage to other things beside maybe crops and to clean up crews.
Outcome
It is a tie everybody. They both do a great job against the ice. They do the job in their own way, and they make a great team when in needs to be done. So the choice is yours of which you want to use. Sand is dirty and it just allows friction on the ice as long it is on the surface. Salt melts the ice as long as it is not too cold.
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