20 Surprising Science Experiments with Salt (Kids Will Love Them)
- October 23, 2020
- Science Experiments
Our houses have many ingredients that serves as a key component for performing a lot many simple science experiments.
I am sure, you would never imagine how useful SALT can be around your home to engage your kids with fun learning and to explore the world of science around you and your kids.
Science Experiments with Salt
All the experiments are super fun, simple, easy to do, no messy, easy to set up, and especially unique science activities. Here we go!
1. Salt Painting Science Experiment
If you are looking for a simple science and art project , then this awesome salt painting science experiment is a great way to explore about simple concepts of science such as absorption. Pre-schoolers and home schoolers find this experiment a great way to learn science concepts.
Find more details of this amazing science experiment here: Salt Painting Science Experiment
2. Desalinization Science Experiment
The word ‘Desalinisation’ is an intimidating word for young children. But believe me, with this spectacular science experiment kids easily learn marine biology hands-on.
Supplies and instructions for desalinisation are found here: Desalinisation Science Experiment
3. Floating Egg Science Experiment
What happens to an egg placed in the salt water? Did you know that an egg can be floated in the water? Simple salt water experiment to teach kids about density and fresh water in a fun and entertaining way. Awesome kitchen science experiment for children of grades 1-5.
Are you interested in learning the complete instructions of the experiment? Click on Floating Egg Science Experiment
4. Make Ice-Cream in a Bag Science Activity
Kids will love to make their own ice creams and end up with a great tasting desert while learning a lot of chemistry science . This is such an awesome kitchen science experiment that finishes in 10 minutes . How cool is it!!
Engage your kids in making ice cream with complete instructions. Find details here: Make Ice-Cream in a Bag Science Activity
5. Melting Ice Salt Science Experiment
Children will learn how salt melts ice with this super cool science activity. It seems simple and easy but encourage kids to explore a lot of science.
Do not miss to check out Melting Ice Salt Science Experiment for more information in detail.
6. Grow Salt Crystals Science Activity
Growing salt crystals is a simple science experiment that is popular to make kids learn about chemical reactions involved to form crystals. Fun and engaging Easter Science Activity! Kids will have a ton of fun while learning how to grow salt crystals at the same time.
Get more details of the experiment here: Grow Salt Crystals Science Activity
7 . Ice and Salt Science Experiment
Here is an awesome science activity fills the days of the children in grades 1-7 with some simple science concepts. It’s a fun STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, Math) activity for kids.
Check out here, Ice and Salt Science Experiment
8. Sticky Ice Science Experiment
This kid’s friendly science experiment with ice is simply too cool, quick, easy, and little magical. Kids will get to learn about freezing point of water and its effects on salt in a fun way. Challenge your children to lift the ice cube just using a thread!
Click here Sticky Ice Science Experiment to learn full description of this super classic science experiment.
9. Egg Geodes Science Experiment
Fun and successful science fair project with egg geodes make the children sharp in developing their critical thinking and questioning skills leaving a wow factor on their faces.
Want to give it a try!? Click on Egg Geodes Science Experiment .
10. Homemade Slushy Drink with Ice and Salt Experiment
Let your kids learn about freezing and melting points while having fun in making homemade slushy drink on their own. This simple science activity offers a great alternate method of making ice cream and cooling drinks very quickly. Sounds entertaining!!
Get the complete description about this classic science experiment here: Homemade Slushy Drink with Ice and Salt Experiment
11. Salt Vibrations STEAM Activity
Here on it is not intimidating to understand the concept of sounds. Easy and fun science STEAM activity that teaches kids about sounds caused by vibrations. In fact, kids are allowed to enjoy this demonstration that actually shows kids the sound waves in action. Click on Salt Vibrations STEAM Activity
12. Salt Water Experiment Ocean Science
A terrific salt science experiment for pre-schoolers! An awesome kitchen science experiment to teach kids about density of salt water versus fresh water. This experiment offers great time to learn about the difference between fresh river water and salty ocean water. What a cool activity!
Click on Salt Water Experiment Ocean Science to find more details
13. Growing Gummy Bears Science Experiment
Have you ever wondered of watching growing gummy bears? Do you think it is hard to witness? Absolutely not! Do this simple science experiment to show how this common kitchen hold mineral effects gummy bears?
Check out here to find simple step-by-step information and instructions: Growing Gummy Bears Science Experiment
1 4 . Rainbow Salt Circuit Science Experiment
Creating an electric circuit using common kitchen hold mineral i.e. salt is an amazing experience for the kids. A great hands-on examination on circuits making kids scientific knowledge on power and circuits little more interesting and exciting.
Are you interested in creating your own salt circuit with water? Then click on Rainbow Salt Circuit Science Experiment
15. Cleaning Pennies Science Experiment
All the kids love to play with pennies and while playing they even observed at times some pennies look dull and some other look bright. Just remind your children about this and ask them to guess what the reason behind that is. Let them explain their versions and then explain them about this cool science experiment. They love to do this hands-on activity to watch the magical results of cleaning pennies. Just browse Cleaning Pennies Science Experiment
16. Salt Pendulum Science Experiment
Salt pendulum is a fun art and science fair project for kids of all ages. Let your kids explore the science behind changing times and pendulums hands-on. While investigating the experiment ask your child to predict the time according to the movements of pendulums and predict what impacts time change. Also help them to understand the concept by explaining how salt effects this experiment in a fun way.
Find more details of the experiment here: Salt Pendulum Science Experiment
17. Popcorn and Salt Science Experiment
Let your kiddos think about their own scientific thought process with this easy and simple science activity to do with salt and popcorns. Using just three ingredients you can bring a lot of change in your child’s scientific knowledge. Easy to set up experiment with great results, highlights the difference between mass and volume using kid’s most favourite snack.
Are you ready to experiment with popcorns and salt : Popcorn and Salt Science Experiment
18. Lava Lamp Cool Science Experiment
An excellent way to explore density of liquids using simple ingredients you have right in your kitchen. Fun way to explore density of liquids and great opportunity to practice mixing colors. Besides, this is an easy going science and sensory play experiment as it makes children much more excited and attentive to study the simple science concepts using salt.
Click on Lava Lamp Cool Science Experiment for more information.
19. Static Electricity Balloon and Salt and Pepper Experiment
Children might have observed a balloon sticking to something like hair strands, comb, salt, etc. Throw a question to your children on the magical science involved in this process of sticking to things. Static Electricity Balloon and Salt and Pepper experiment is all about explaining static electricity in a fun way. Isn’t it excited? Best and simple science experiment for your elementary children : Static Electricity Balloon and Salt and Pepper Experiment
20. Solid-Solid Separation science Experiment
An amazing easy fun science activity that teaches kids to understand about three science concepts i.e. evaporation, sedimentation, and filtration. How amazing is it to explain the three main science concepts while performing a single science investigation.
Click on Solid-Solid Separation science Experiment
So, here are the simple and easy science experiments to do with common kitchen hold mineral, salt. There is a lot of science involved in these super cool experiments that will surely amaze you and your kids. Simple science experiments that everyone will love! Fun and fascinating experiments for toddlers , pre-schoolers, and even some are perfect for older kids. Have a look and enjoy experimenting with salt. Happy Experimenting!!
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Winter STEM Activity – Salt and Ice Science Experiment
It’s cold out. Like really cold. Our temperatures today are reaching -40 with windchill. So what should we do when it’s freezing cold outside? A winter STEM activity of course! In particular we decided to test the effect of salt on ice. Our results were interesting and resulted in some pretty significant findings. Something we love in our STEM activities.
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A few years ago our government started mixing road salt into the gravel they put on our roads. We all knew immediately because we had white salt build up on our cars and the floor of the garage. But why is salting our roads a good thing? Even if it does nasty things to our cars?
Part of living in the great North is that we also use a lot of products to help with traction on our driveways and sidewalks. Ice melts, sand and even lava rocks are all products available to help make winter conditions safer. We know salt melts ice, but how do these things work?
We set out to see what exactly salt does to ice and the environment around the reaction.
Winter STEM Activity Supplies
Table of Contents
Clean tin cans Ice cubes Table salt Coarse rock salt Measuring spoons No-contact digital thermometer
Salt and Ice Challenge
The inspiration for this science experiment and STEM activity came from a popular frost creation activity, except in our case our climate is so dry we can’t make frost unless we do our experiment in the washroom while someone is showering!
Set up 5 tin cans (more if you want to test more variables, types of salt, quantities, etc.)
In each can add the same amount of ice.
Set one can as your control. This one will have no salt added.
In the next two cans add table salt. Can #1 add 1 teaspoon. Can #2 add 2 tablespoons.
In the final two cans add coarse rock salt. Can #1 add 1 teaspoon. Can #2 add 2 tablespoons.
You can gently shake the cans to spread the salt around if you wish.
Make sure you set the cans far enough apart from each other that they don’t affect the results of adjacent cans.
Watch closely and you will see liquid water forming on the tin cans in the form of condensation. This indicates that there is a rapid change in temperature happening. Which means it is time for some scientific investigation.
The Results
Now using your digital thermometer start taking readings. At the beginning your readings will be similar from each can, but over approximately 20 minutes you will start noticing some big changes!
First reading, the numbers were the same across all the cans. Keep in mind the freezing point (or melting point depending on your experiment) is 0 degrees Celsius.
Note: we are in Canada, so our readings are in Celcius, but you can easily use degrees Fahrenheit for your readings. Your numbers will just be slightly different from ours.
2 minutes later, things are starting to drop but nothing too exciting yet.
10 minutes later our readings differ significantly between the cans. We moved in close to make sure we were getting accurate readings.
Two tablespoons of table salt and the temperature of the ice reached a low of -14 degrees.
1 teaspoon of coarse salt reached a low of -20 degrees.
And most significant of all, 2 tablespoons of coarse salt reached a low of almost -28!
During this time our control stayed around -4 degrees.
These results were huge! It’s always great to do an experiment that provides significant results. This Winter STEM Activity gives kids big results, so even those who might struggle with these concepts or activities, can still see great outcomes.
The last can was so cold that when I was cleaning up my fingers stuck to the can. Which was another great reminder about safety in such extreme cold. It seems every winter at least one kid gets stuck to metal on the playground!
Understanding the Science Behind Salt Reactions with Ice
Salt lowers the freezing point of water. This causes it to pull heat from the air and tin can in order to melt the ice, significantly dropping the temperature on the surface of the tin can and in the air. This gives us our low temperature readings. If you live in a moist climate, moisture from the air will freeze as it comes in contact with the cold surface of the can which can lead to the creation of frost or ice crystals. However, since we live in such a cold, dry climate, that does not work here. To make frost we had to move the experiment into the washroom while someone was showering!
The best part, is that many ice cream makers work on a similar principle. Using salt to alter the freezing point of liquids. We also used this science principle to make homemade slurpees . A huge hit!
However, it is important to note that there is some chemistry at work here, making this a great activity for chemistry labs. Not all salts are the same chemical composition, and they don’t all work the same on icy surfaces. Road salt isn’t the same as table salt. Different types of salt lower the freezing point of the resulting salt water by different amounts. Some examples of different salts include: Potassium chloride (KCl), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), and calcium chloride (CaCl2), all lower the freezing point of water more than table salt (NaCl). However, it is very important to look into each of these options carefully. Each type of salt has different effects on the environment, some may be safer for pets paws, some cause a lot of corrosion damage to vehicles, and some work more effectively under different weather conditions. Choosing the best de-icer isn’t always a simple matter.
Salt and Ice Safety
Now you have seen the science, you should be able to see why there are safety concerns. Never use salt and ice on your skin (like featured on some dangerous social media trend) or on your pet’s paws. It can lead to frostbite, severe burns and scarring.
Looking for more Winter STEM Activity ideas? Check these out!
5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids
Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.