When you mix a lot salt and a little water,why does it make an solid?why does it not work with flour?

Question

i used 500 grams of salt and 17cc of water.

Answer 1

If I understand your question correctly then the explanation would be: Salt is NaCl, in such a small amount water it will partially dissolve into Na+ and Cl- this can then recrystallise linking the salt together to form a large solid mass of salt. Flour on the other hand doesn't dissolve in water so it can't recrystallise, instead when water is added it forms a sort of sticky paste as the water is absorbed into the flour.

Try it with sugar though that will form a big solid mass like salt.

Answer 2

Uhmm if you mix a little flour and water you can make "papier mache" or sticky stuff that will glue paper together as the 'glutens' is the flour do bind.

Just wet it 'enough' (not too much) then let what it becomes (Very Thick paste) dry enough, and it will form a solid.

Your useing too much water in the flour they are not equals in that respect as salt 'absorbs' water, to a degree, so it needs less to achieve a solidified state as a result of wetting it...flour needs more.

Answer 3

I guess I shouldn't doubt your claim, but I do. I DOUBT if you mixed 17cc of water and 500 grams of flour and got a liquid or a gas. A solid is something which doesn't flow under "normal" conditions. Why would mixing 17 g of water to any 500g of solid make it flow? Answer: It would flow if the water disrupted the bonds between atoms or molecules enough to reduce their strength so that gravity could break them, allowing flow. How much water do you need to do this? enough to break enough (or weaken enough) bonds to allow flow. This will depend on the material you use. With polymers, such as flour, it will also depend on the way you mix them together (unless you have the patience and time to allow the mixture to come to equilibrium, which could take years!)

Answer 4

If you put 500gms of flour with 17cc water i think you will find you will have the opposite of a liquid

Answer 5

because the salt disolves and the flour sinks to the bottom.

kk, tarr

Answer 6

the salt dissolves, it becomes a solute, its to do with the size of the particles