What substances melt snow the fastest?

Question

besides hot water?

Answer 1

Salt

Answer 2

From a chemistry standpoint anything that drops the melting point temperature dramatically. I think the formula is

T = Kbm
where:

T is the change in boiling point of the solvent,
Kb is the molal boiling point elevation constant, and
m is the molal concentration of the solute in the solution.

It's the same concept why we put salt in our water when we cook pasta. It's not for flavor but because we increase m we are increasing the boiling point thus creating a faster boil. So instead of cooking pasta at 100 degrees Celsius we are cooking it now at 105 degrees Celsius

Answer 3

Salt

Answer 4

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) will probably one of the best. salts to use. When is dissolves, you get one Ca++ ion and two Cl- ions, for a total of three ions per molecule. Each of those ions will help to melt the snow. (Table salt, NaCl, will only yield two ions: one Na+ and one Cl-, and won't be as efficient as CaCl2.) You could, theoretically pour sugar on snow, which will help to melt, but the sucrose molecule is so huge and bulky compared to the small Ca++ and Cl- ions, it won't be very efficient for it's weight either.

I guess Aluminium Chloride (AlCl3) would be even more effective than CaCl2, but it would be much more expensive, and more toxic to the flora and fauna.

Answer 5

that stuff called heat - melts it fast and does a good job keeping ice from forming

Answer 6

Salt does a good job of it

Answer 7

H2O he he. Use Hot H20

Answer 8

salt

Answer 9

salt

Answer 10

urine dont eat the yellow snow