Why do you ice cream vendors sprinkle salt on ice before they sell ice cream carts?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Salting ice prior to making ice cream allows the water (from the melted ice) to go below the freezing poing of water (32 F or 0C).

If the ice was not salted, then as the ice melts, the water produced would never get colder than (32F or 0C), and as a result, the ice cream would not be able to freeze up as solid as you would normally want your ice cream to be.

In essence, it allows you to get your ice cream to a lower temperature than if you had not salted the ice at all.

As an experiment, try this yourself with a thermometer, some ice in a large cup, and some salt. You'll find that when the salted ice starts melting, the water produced will be below the freezing point of water (but the water won't freeze!). Cool! huh?

Source(s):

Former CEO of a zoo & science museum.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

ok

Answer 2

It lowers the melting rate and increases the freezing rate of the ice, therefore making the ice cream colder.
It's the same when making homemade ice cream. You put salt on the ice surrounding the ice cream so the ice cream will freeze faster.

Answer 3

Ice lowers the level at which water will freeze, thus making the ice colder than 32 degrees. Therefor the ice and said ice cream will stay colder longer.

Answer 4

To keep the ice from melting fast