What would happen if you stuck your hand in a bag of salt?

Question

Would it dry out if you left it in long enough?

Answer 1

Osmosis.

Answer 2

Technically, if your hand was absolutely bone dry, you'll just end up with a salty hand, because the salt needs a medium to dissolve in before it can react. Just like if you put dry salt with sugar... would your sugar taste salty / salt taste sweet after you separate it? highly unlikely, isnt it? (unless you eat the wrong thing, haha)

BUT, if your hand were to have a but of moisture -say your palm sweats like its on a first date or someone decides to water your salt, you hand would most likely get crinkly (like when you're in a bath too long) and your skin will feel rubbery and dry.

This is due to the higher water potential inside the cells in your hand, than in the salt water outside. and based on your osmosis knowledge, water always flows from a region of high water potential to low water potential (or to a more hypertonic region), by osmosis.

However, dont expect your hand to turn out all rotten and shrunken! you'll have to remember there are still fluids in your body to circulate and replenish the moisture lost. unless, of course you decide to halt your fluid intake and die a slow death -through a wrinkly hand. haha :D

Please, dont try this at home. if you like, you can try to submerge your finger in it a while, just to see what its like. but dont keep it in too long! its not good for your skin.

cheers :)

Answer 3

Why would it dry out? Was your hand wet? Or are you talking about the sweat of your palm? If the salt disslves in the water / sweat, your hand will feel sticky (just as it feels when you dip your hand in sea water and take out). Your question is not clear.

Answer 4

Since your hand is constantly resupplied with moisture by your circulatory system, it would not dry up as long as you kept up your fluid intake. It probably would affect your skin superficially, however--constant contact with salt is not good for living cells.

Answer 5

Well the skin might dry out a bit, but remember your body is still pumping fluids to your hand. So unless you quit eating and drinking, (I.E. died), it would not do a whole lot.