does adding salt to water really make it boil faster?

Question

I do it just in case but I would like to know anyway :)

Answer 1

I always thought that salt DID make water boil faster!
Whatever the truth may be, I'm gonna continue believing that it does so I don't have to face 26 years of lies.

Answer 2

I have tried this test because my mom used to say this as well. I put on two pots of water. I turned the ranges on at the same time and the same temperature. When they both got so hot that there was steam rising, I put a dash of salt into one of the pots and left the other non-salted. The one that had salt in it did come to a boil a whole lot faster than the one that did not have the salt. For that matter, even if I had put both the pots on at different intervals the one that boiled exceeded the one that had no salt by more than five minutes. So yes, after my experiment I came to the conclusion that because of the element added to the water it made it come to a boil faster.

Answer 3

I have a chemistry degree so you will pardon me when i say i was surprised too look at some answers here.

Water takes much more temperature and longer time to boil when it is pure/distilled. Ading anything to it, sugar, salt etc. will make it boil faster with less energy.

This is why roads are salted in the winter, because the ice will melt (water temperature will rise) easier with the salt in it. So take the advice of the road and keep salting :)

Unless the salt ruins the taste.

Answer 4

Adding salt or anything to water, raises the boiling point of water a couple degrees. So adding salt will take a little longer for the water to boil.

To boil water faster, use a lid.

Answer 5

Salt in the water should raise the boiling point of the solution somewhat, meaning that it will need to reach a higher temperature before it begins to boil.

If undisturbed water is heated to above its boiling temperature (superheated), adding salt will cause it to immediately boil over. This phenomenon is easy to observe with liquids heated in a microwave oven. In fact, any non-volatile soluble substance will raise the boiling point of water.

Answer 6

No, adding salt before the water boils scars the pot. At least that's what Rachel Ray says.

Answer 7

adding salt makes the water boil at a higher temperature, so it actaully takes slightly longer for it to reach a boil. It also flavors the water...

Answer 8

Actually adding anything to the water will raise the boiling point.

The Weekend Chef

Answer 9

no the salt makes the water boil slower actually

Answer 10

no. but if you're fixing noodles, you may want to add salt to the water after its boiling.