Fishing for ice- using salt to change the melting point of ice

Great science experiment for kids

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In this simple science experiment for kids, your kids will learn about how salt changes the melting point of ice, and how your child can use salt to make ice “sticky” so you can pick up ice using a simple string.

For this experiment you’ll need a string (yarn or twine work best,) salt, water, and ice and a few bowls.

Concepts you’ll want to go over with your kids is how salt changes the melting point of ice, have they ever made their own ice cream using salt and ice, or ever seen a truck salting the roads up north?

Grab some salt, fill one bowl with water and one bowl with ice. Throw a few cubes of ice into the bowl of water. Ask your kids to try to pick up a piece of ice using only the string.

Next throw in a few more cubes of ice into the water. Ask your child what they think would happen if you add salt to the mixture? (Spoiler alert- it causes the ice to melt faster)

Next, lay the string on top of a piece of ice and sprinkle salt over and around the string over the ice. Here’s the hardest part- waiting! Maybe sing a favorite song or two, but this will take a couple minutes. After 1-3 minutes, ask your child to gently lift the string out of the ice.

The salt changed the melting rate of the ice, melted around the string, but then some of it re-froze around and to the string, allowing you to fish for ice with the string, catching a cube with some salt.

There is a great breakdown of this experiment, complete with pictures here...