Does salt actually increase the speed for boiling water?

Question

I've always heard that putting salt in water increases boiling temperature, does this actually work?

Answer 1

yes, it does. i do it all the time when i boil eggs and spaghetti.

Answer 2

No, it increases the boiling temperature, which means it will actually take longer to come to a boil, but will be boiling at a higher temp. Some people believe that this will cook food faster, but it is such an insignificant amount that it really doesn't make a noticeable difference.

Add salt to the water after it has come to a boil to flavor your water, but forget about the whole boiling faster thing.

Anyway, hope I helped. Good luck!

Answer 3

it doesn't increase the speed it takes for water to boil, but yes it is supposed to increase the boiling temperature. When water water evaporates, the water molecules at the top convert from liquid to gas, but if there is salt in the solution, there isn't as much room at the top for water molecules. Therefore it takes a higher temperature for the same amount of water molecules to evaporate. However, the effects aren't very great when cooking. You may raise the boiling temperature by only a few degrees. Therefore, it's most used just for seasoning.

Answer 4

Old wives tale. Salting water to boil just adds salt flavor to the item being boiled.

Answer 5

No. It actually lowers the boiling point of water. That's why people put salt in water to make it boil sooner. Salt also lowers the freezing temperature of water - thus we throw salt on the roads in winter to melt the ice.

Answer 6

No, it will actually take longer for the water to boil.

As soon as any of the salt dissolves in the water, the boiling point of the water will begin to rise -- by about one half degree Celsius for every 58 grams of salt dissolved per kilogram of water. In fact, any non-volatile soluble
substance will raise the boiling point of water. That is why antifreeze (ethylene glycol) provides boiling protection in winter as it simultaneously provides freezing protection in the summer.

Answer 7

No. I thought that too so I tried a while ago.
I took two pots of the same size filled with water and set them both on the stove. Put one with salt one with out then set the timer on the microwave and let them go.

They took the same time.

I also heard that hot water freezes faster than cold and cold boils faster than hot so I gotta test that unless some one else did.

Answer 8

When salt is added to cooking water, the water boils at a higher temperature, so it takes as shorter time to cook food in that water.

It's all chemistry - the addition of a solute (salt) to a liquid solvent (the water) raises the boiling point of the solvent.

Answer 9

The salt keeps the pasta from sticking together. If all you are doing is trying to make if boil faster do not do it. Most foods have enough salt and you are just adding to it.

Answer 10

The only reason you add salt to water is to flavor what ever is going to be cooked in said water. It does not make it boil any quicker.

Answer 11

Salt doesnt increase the speed, it just prevents the water from boiling over the edge of the pot.