if there is a lake full of seawater and a lake full of freshwater why is one of them more likely to be ice?

Question

covered in winter

Answer 1

The fresh water is more likely to be ice than the salt water, because the salt disrupts the crystal structure of water and gives the water a lower freezing point. That's why people spread salt to melt ice and snow.

Answer 2

Seawater freezes at a temperature that is slightly colder than fresh water (0.0° Celsius). The freezing temperature of seawater also varies with the concentration of salts. The more salt, the lower the initial freezing temperature. At a salinity of 35 parts per thousand, seawater freezes at a temperature of -1.9° Celsius.

From http://www.eoearth.org/article/Characteristics_of_seawater

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Pure water freezes at a higher temperature than salt water. Thus the reason for the two major temperature scales...

Mr Celcius was near fresh water and so made the scale relative to what happens to fresh water (0 = freezing)

Mr Fahrenheit lived near salt water and made the scale relative to salt water (0 = freezing)

Answer 4

Freshwater would freeze faster as salt water has a lower point of freezing.

Answer 5

Fresh water freezes at 32 deg F.
salt water freeze at approx. 26 deg F.

Answer 6

The fresh water will freeze sooner. Dissolving salts in a liquid will depress its freezing point, as well as elevate its boiling point.