Aggregate state of table salt. salt, chemistry

What could be more familiar than salt in our kitchen. Regular table salt. Yes, we sometimes don’t notice it, well, eat and eat, salt and forget. It would seem, what else to take from it except for use in cooking?

It turns out that its scope is much wider than our kitchen. Well, let's start, it is from the kitchen, from our refrigerator.

What do we have there? Eggs. Do you remember how long they have been lying? Dip the eggs in heavily salted water. Old eggs will float at the top, while fresh ones will sink to the bottom.

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Do you want to store mold-free cheese in the refrigerator? And all you need to do is wrap the cheese in gauze, which has been moistened with salt water.

And so that the butter left on the table in the summer heat does not melt longer, wrap the butter dish with a napkin soaked in salt water.

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Does oil splatter when frying? Before you put the food in the oil on a hot frying pan, throw salt on it. It will absorb excess liquid and the oil will not start to splatter all over the kitchen.

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Thinking about baking? Do you know that if you put a little salt under the molds, the cookies will not burn?

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A pinch of table salt will improve the taste of coffee, chocolate and cake cream.

It will help to quickly beat the egg whites and protect the milk from souring.

A pinch of salt will improve the taste of burnt milk. And if the milk "ran away", sprinkle the stove with salt to make the smell of burning disappear.

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If fresh fish is salted and held for 10-15 minutes until the salt is absorbed, it will not crumble when fried. Slippery fish will be easier to clean if you dip your fingers in salt.

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A little trick for mushroom lovers. Dried mushrooms will become as fresh if they are soaked in slightly salted milk.

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If lettuce leaves (and other green vegetables) are immersed in salt water, it will remove insects from them.

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If you forgot the food you are cooking on the stove and it is burnt, add salt to the pot or pan. This will help to easily remove traces of your forgetfulness.

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Salt will also help clean white water stains on your countertop or dishes. To do this, mix one tablespoon of salt with a teaspoon of vegetable oil.

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Dishwashing sponges can be refreshed by briefly soaking them in salt water.

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Use a mixture of salt and baking soda to get rid of bad smells in your refrigerator. And by mixing salt with cinnamon, you will remove an unpleasant smell in the microwave or oven.

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And to freshen the air in the house, just cut an orange in half and sprinkle both halves with salt.

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To give a shine to a copper surface, you can use a paste of salt, flour and vinegar in equal amounts. To do this, apply it on a metal surface, then wipe off

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Salt will help clean the silverware without rubbing. Put it in a pot of hot water, add 2-3 tablespoons of salt and a piece of household aluminum foil.

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If you drop an egg on the floor, or, God forbid, on the carpet and it breaks, sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of salt on the puddle. The salt will absorb the egg. If, nevertheless, the carpet - leave the salt for 20 minutes, and remove the remnants with a vacuum cleaner. Well, you can almost immediately remove it from the floor with a paper towel. But a solution of salt with vinegar can not only remove stains on the carpet, but also give colors brightness.

Darkened carafes and crystal vases will be well cleaned with a mixture of coarse salt and vinegar.

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To remove grease stains on clothes, mix 1 part salt with 4 parts alcohol, this solution will help to cope with the grease stain.

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When drying clothes in winter, salt is also useful. To prevent the laundry from freezing, add a little salt at the end of the wash while rinsing.

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A damp, salty cloth will help remove frost from home windows. A light solution of salt on the glass will not let it freeze later. The same can be done with the windshield of the car, if it is covered with a crust of ice.

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Salt can be used to soften terry towels or bathrobes. After washing, rinse them in water with salt.

The salt will help clean the piano keys. Take half a lemon, dip it in salt and wipe the keys. Let them dry and polish with a dry, clean cloth.

Do you know that raw firewood flares up faster if you sprinkle it with a handful of coarse salt?

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You can use salt as a body scrub. After taking a bath, before you dry yourself, give yourself a massage using some dry salt. This procedure will refresh the skin and increase blood circulation.

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Salt will also help outside the house. If you want to get rid of the grass that appears between the bricks or blocks of the terrace floor. Fill the cracks with salt and water lightly.

Salt is the most popular and widely available seasoning. It is added to almost all dishes, up to baking. However, few people know that ordinary table salt has a cousin, black salt. It's loaded with extra minerals and nutrients and is a contender for a staple in your kitchen.

There are two popular types of salt, which are called "black".

1. Exotic, volcanic or Himalayan, or Indian, black salt, "Kala Namak". It is mined mainly in Pakistan and India. It is not quite black, in a piece it has a dark brown-red tint, almost black. When milled, it acquires a pale pink color. It is explained by the chemical composition of the salt, which, in addition to sodium chloride, is rich in iron sulfide and magnesium. It has a characteristic smell of hydrogen sulfide and for this reason is not very common. When added to hot food, salt darkens to black.

2. Orthodox, black (Thursday) salt. It is not mined, but produced by kneading it into a dough with spices and calcining it in an oven, in coals. During such processing, in 12 hours all organic matter burns out, and salt crystals are charred and saturated with calcium, magnesium, iron and other useful elements. In Rus', such salt was prepared on Holy Week, at night from Wednesday to Thursday, and, in addition to healing, magical properties were often attributed to it. In modern culture, such salt is prepared all year round.

So, first things first.

Benefits of Himalayan Salt

Compound: sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfide, iron sulfide and hydrogen sulfide.

In addition to its palatability, Himalayan black salt is popular for its health benefits as well as its ability to preserve food.

Useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, flatulence, gases in the intestines, bloating. Increases immunity, stimulates digestion and normalizes metabolism. Able to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. Often recommended for people with high blood pressure as it contains less sodium than regular table salt.

Helps with indigestion, as it is a good food stimulant, balances the production of acid in the stomach and bile in the liver. Helps digest food, is able to ward off constipation and increases appetite.

Useful for high acidity and heartburn. It is full of minerals resulting from exposure to high temperatures, making it very suitable for regulating acidity. Reduces acid reflux. The best combination in this case is with coriander, cumin and fennel in equal proportions.

You can also try adding this salt to lemon water, which will improve digestion. Due to the high content of iron compounds, this salt is useful for iron deficiency anemia.

Prevents osteoporosis, a disorder when our body begins to extract sodium from our bones, thereby reducing their strength. This condition can be prevented by drinking plenty of water along with a pinch of black salt.

It is super effective in the fight against excess weight due to its dissolving and disintegrating effect on enzymes and lipids.

Can be used for gargling. And also as a filler for an inhaler for colds, flu, tonsillitis and other respiratory diseases. If there is no inhaler, then it is enough to throw a teaspoon of salt into boiling water and breathe in the steam for several minutes.

Important for women will be the fact that "Kala Namak" can be used as bath salts. It has a miraculous effect on chapped and swollen feet, skin, sprains, and is effective against warts. In short, while you are enjoying your bath, your body is being healed by a pure, natural product. In addition, it delicately opens the pores, removes oiliness of the skin, while leaving it with a healthy glow.

Due to its high content of essential minerals, Himalayan salt strengthens hair, stimulates its natural growth, thickens each individual hair and enhances overall shine.

Himalayan salt damage

Cala Namak black salt is extremely safe in small, dietary amounts. It should not exceed 6 grams (sodium in it is about 2.3 grams) per day. The therapeutic amount of black salt is less than the dietary amount and is used along with other herbs and spices. These herbal mixtures typically contain 250 to 500 mg of black salt, which is also significantly safer.

In addition, avoid prolonged exposure to salt water baths, as it can dry out the body, making it unattractive.

Benefits of Thursday Salt

A product known from ancient times due to its exceptional qualities. The salinity does not differ from the usual cooking, but it has a sharper taste.

After roasting in an oven, this salt has a high calcium content, which is especially useful when it comes to bones, teeth and muscles. And also: magnesium, potassium, iron, iodine, copper, zinc, etc.

It also contains less sodium than regular salt, so it is recommended to use this salt for those who suffer from high blood pressure. Water will not be retained in the body, and the need for diuretics will decrease.

With regular use, Thursday salt helps cleanse the intestines, as it is rich in carbon, which acts as a sorbent, absorbs and removes toxic substances, toxins, heavy metals. Promotes healing of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, improves digestion and metabolism. It has a mild laxative effect. Improves appetite.

A solution of such salt in water with honey can be used for rinsing and treating gums. By rinsing your mouth with Thursday salt, you will eliminate bad breath and make your breath much fresher. It can also be used as a cosmetic product. It has a smoothing and tightening effect on the skin. Rejuvenates, relieves dryness and peeling.

In culture, Thursday salt is believed to have magical powers. People used to believe that if you put a pinch of this salt in an incense on your neck, it would protect you from the evil eye.

Harm from Thursday salt

Like Himalayan salt, and indeed any other, Thursday salt can be harmful if used in excess.

If you abuse it, the healing product will become a poison and will gradually poison the body with sodium, causing an increase in blood pressure, poor circulation, kidney problems, swelling and fluid accumulation in the body.

Where can I get black salt?

Black (Thursday) salt can be bought from healers, in villages, or found in a store or pharmacy. With proper skill and equipment, you can cook yourself. Indian volcanic salt can also be found in shops, pharmacies and supermarkets. After all, both products can be ordered online.

Obviously, both types of salt in moderation have extremely positive effects on the human body. Food seasoned with such salt becomes more palatable, acts softer and brings more positive impressions, with less risk of damage from ordinary table or sea salt. In addition, this salt fights a number of diseases, arthritis, cholesterol and even impotence.

In household chores, we have already found out. It's time for the salt. What can ordinary table salt do in capable hands?

Remove plaque from a vase or freshen up artificial flowers

If flower residue remains on your favorite vase, rub this plaque with salt. Then wash off with warm soapy water - the deposits will disappear. The same trick helps to cope with plaque on the leaves of artificial plants: dip them in a saline solution and hold for a while.

Extend the life of a broom

If you arrange a bath for a new broom, holding its working part in hot salty water, then it will last much longer. Soak the broom for 20 minutes and then let it dry thoroughly.

Remove red wine stains

If wine spills on carpet or clothing, apply a slurry of wet salt on top. Leave on for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with hot water. By the way, salt works well with greasy stains if you don’t have time to wash them thoroughly. Just sprinkle a greasy stain with salt, then at least the grease will not spread further through the clothes.

Remove water stains from wood

If there are sloppy marks from glasses or water bottles on wooden furniture, salt will again come to the rescue. Mix it with water to make a paste-like mixture, and gently, without scratching, wipe the surface with it with a sponge or soft cloth.

Reanimate the sponge

After a short use, the sponges take on a well-worn look, although in reality they can still serve in the household. Soak sponges overnight in saline solution: 1/4 cup of salt per liter of water.

Remove frost from windows and frames

Salt lowers the temperature threshold at which water freezes. This property can be put to good use. Wipe the glass near the frames with salt water, let dry. To keep the windows from sweating, place a rag bag of salt between the panes. The same bag is useful for motorists: wipe wet windows with it from time to time in the cold season.

Fight the ants

If your house is suddenly attacked by ants and there is no special remedy at hand, use salt. Sprinkle it at doors, windows, or right on the ant trail. This will help stop the invasion for a while.

Remove burnt milk from the stove

Salt is generally a good thing for cleaning dishes and some kitchen utensils. For example, salt can be used to clean a coffee pot, rims on dishes from tea or coffee. She copes well with burnt milk. Soak the stain with water and then generously sprinkle with salt. Wait 10 minutes, then try to remove the stain - the process will go much easier.

Remove lipstick marks

Not every dishwasher will cope with traces of modern lipstick, for example, on a glass. Sprinkle salt on the edge of the dish, and then send it to the dishwasher. And a mixture of vinegar and salt added to water will help you get rid of yellow stains on glass: just soak faded glass in this solution.

Peeling pecans

It is not so easy to peel a pecan and remove the core. Try soaking nuts in salt water for an hour or two. It will be easier to clean, and the nut body itself can be removed from the shell without problems.

Return the apple to a fresh look

If the apple is slightly withered and wrinkled, bathe it in a weak saline solution. The skin will smooth out and become more elastic.

Prepare a body scrub

Salt can be used to exfoliate old skin particles before showering. There are many recipes for homemade scrubs, although they usually involve sea salt. But the same effect will be achieved if you simply apply salt to a sponge or washcloth and properly treat the skin before bathing. Such rubbing, by the way, is very invigorating and helps to get rid of morning sleepiness.

Freshen your breath

There is an old grandmother's way: how to get rid of unpleasant odors in the mouth. Now it is forgotten by many, but in vain. A mixture of soda (1 teaspoon), salt (the same amount) and water (half a cup) still perfectly cleans the mouth.

clean refrigerator

Do not like chemicals when processing the inside of the refrigerator? Salt solution will cope well with this problem, if, of course, there are no old deposits in your refrigerator. A handful of salt per 3.5-4 liters of warm water will be enough. The main thing is to dissolve it properly so as not to scratch the surface.

Boil eggs properly

Add some salt to the water where you boil the eggs. This will strengthen the shell and the egg white won't spill out even if the egg cracks. In addition, it will be much easier to clean the eggs.

Fry food without splashing oil

If you are afraid of splashing boiling oil, add a little salt to it in the pan before laying out the food. Excess moisture will be absorbed, and there will be much less splashing.

Fight mold

A mixture of salt and lemon juice is great for mold removal. Useful when cleaning tiles or bathrooms. Salt can also keep cheese from mold: soak a napkin in the salt solution and wrap the cheese in it.

clean piano keys

If you dip half a lemon in salt, you get a natural bleach and cleaner for the keys of an old piano. After application, it remains only to gently wipe the surface with a dry cloth.

Keep water hot

Water in a heating pad or bottle will retain heat longer if it is salted.

Remove traces of sweat

Fresh traces of sweat on clothes are removed with a solution of table salt (1 tablespoon per glass of water).

As you can see, salt can be useful not only as a flavoring additive. For every little household item, we used to buy a separate bottle with a special agent in the supermarket. But with many household problems, salt will do just as well.

The discovery of salt not only changed the history of mankind, but also my view of the kitchen with the appearance of several tubes of salts with a completely strange look. We urge you to use less salt, but oddly enough, a lack of salt, as well as its excess, can cause a violation of the water-salt balance and thus affect the metabolism, affecting the figure as always.

Let me give you some chemistry. Table salt or sodium chloride is found in most of the tissues and fluids of living things on earth. Sodium ions are essential for the transmission of sensory and motor signals through the nervous system. An aqueous solution containing 0.9% salt or saline is used in medicine to treat dehydration. Now you understand why we can’t do without salt at all?

However, recent studies have shown that exceeding the daily dose of salt in 5 grams can be very harmful to the human body, can increase the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disorders by 27%.

Salt Wars

When it comes to salt, I mentally go back in time, to Rome during the Punic Wars. When the Roman commander and politician Cato the Elder, regardless of the topic discussed in the Senate, each speech ended with the phrase: "Besides, I think that Carthage must be destroyed." The phrase, by the way, has become a catch phrase, a symbol of perseverance and perseverance in the fight against an obstacle.

Why did Carthage or present-day Tunisia annoy him so much?

It was a fierce struggle for dominion over the Mediterranean Sea, for the possession of silver mines and ... salt industries. After all, salt in the days of the Roman Empire (and not only) was worth its weight in gold, its transportation was a very tricky business, since unexpected rain or fording water bodies could destroy the entire cargo.

And yet Carthage was destroyed after a three-year siege. The Romans tore down the remains of the walls, plowed up the place where the city stood, and what do you think? They covered the earth with curses and salt, just in case, so that nothing else would grow there, so to speak, benefited from an excess of salt, causing harm.

But it’s also impossible to do without salt at all, we have a water-salt balance. And how to get the most out of it?

Can salt help?

In order to get the most out of table salt, it is important to choose the right salt! In the kitchen, salt is not only an element that can reveal the taste of dishes, but also an additional source of sodium and potassium, it is important that it is not refined salt.

Our role model - Italian chef Antonino Cannavacuolo advises using coarse natural sea salt in cooking, as it retains all the trace elements present in sea water: iodine, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, potassium and sodium. And to decorate and give a special taste to your gourmet dishes, he advises rare or unusual types of salt in very small quantities.

Salt salt strife

And here the most interesting begins. What kind of salt and with what do they eat? Before the appearance of test tubes with salt in the house, I did not think at all about this aspect of the issue. It was enough for me that I had coarse sea salt “thrown into a pan” and pink crystalline Himalayan salt in a mill, so to speak rubbed into a salad. Yes, lamps, wine glasses and other decorative products made from Himalayan salt have appeared on the market lately - if you are deficient in any mineral, you can pretend to be a moose and sometimes lick them.

Probably the most valuable type of salt that can be present in your kitchen. It was discovered around 350 BC by local aborigines who noticed the layers of salt emerging from the ground. This pure salt, with its 84 minerals and trace elements, helps restore our water balance and cleanse the body of waste accumulated from the use of industrial refined salts.
Himalayan salt accompanies and enhances the flavor of dishes without overpowering it. In addition, it is completely absorbed in the intestines, without much effort from the body, and does not create water retention. This salt is highly recommended. to meat.

It is a natural rock salt that comes from the ancient salt mines of Iran. This is a fairly rare type of salt and its color is due to sylvinite, a mineral that usually has a yellow or pink hue, and only in rare cases takes on a blue tint. It is characterized by a strong aroma and a light spicy aftertaste.
Ground blue salt of Persia is a great substitute for regular table salt. for dishes made from legumes or grains, and a few whole granules will create a stunning effect in decorating gourmet dishes. Salt of Persia is rich in potassium and chlorine.

Red Hawaiian Salt

Alaea is a traditional salt of Hawaiian cuisine, taking its name from the natural red clay mineral of volcanic origin (1%). In the process of evaporation, the clay enriches the salt with iron, which gives it its characteristic red color. The iron content in this salt is five times higher than in ordinary table salt, which gives it a fairly lively "iron" flavor. she is especially good with fried or grilled meat and fish.

Gray British salt

This salt is produced in the south of Britain, on the French coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in "labyrinths", or clay buildings, located along the ocean coasts. The color is due to a certain type of clay, the sediment of which on the salt bottom saturates the salt crystals not only with microelements, but also gives a gray tint. From a nutritional point of view, British gray salt is richer in minerals and has a low sodium content. Great fit to boiled vegetables.

Collected from the waters around the island of Cyprus, the salt is enriched with charcoal obtained from the burning of linden, birch and willow wood, which gives it its typical black color.
Adding charcoal to salt gives it a slight detoxifying power, and its high absorption rate is used in the treatment of bowel disease or food poisoning (you may remember activated charcoal sold in pharmacies for treating stomach pain - the action is the same). This salt is perfect with white fish, sweet chips, eggs or soups.

As you guessed by the name, this is salt from Denmark. The method of smoking it has come down to us since the times of the harsh Vikings, for it oak, juniper, cherry, beech and elm wood is used. It will add an amazing flavor to your meat and vegetable dishes.

Fleur de Sel or Flower of Salt

Flawless white salt Fleur de Selle is highly regarded and the best chefs from all over the world use it to enrich the taste. salads, mushrooms, potatoes, vegetable soups, cereals, meat and fish. The flower of salt is low in salt and is not refined, and one of its characteristic features is the large size of the crystals and the lower salt power.

Of course, these are not all types of salt that are and are used in the kitchen, we went through only the most “easily obtainable” specimens on the market. There are several other types of salt that you might wink at on occasion, and if you don't feel sorry, be sure to try them and share them with us!

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The formula of which is NaCl, is a food product. In inorganic chemistry, this substance is called sodium chloride. In the crushed version, table salt, the formula of which is given above, is a white crystal. Insignificant gray shades may appear in the presence of other mineral salts as impurities.

It is produced in various forms: crude and peeled, small and large, iodized.

biological significance

Salt crystal, which has an ionic chemical bond, is necessary for the full life and activity of a person, other living organisms. Sodium chloride is involved in the regulation and maintenance of water-salt balance, alkaline metabolism. Biological mechanisms control the constancy of the concentration of sodium chloride in various fluids, such as blood.

The difference in NaCl concentrations inside the cell and outside is the main mechanism for the entry of nutrients into the cell, as well as the removal of waste products. A similar process is used in the generation and transmission of impulses by neurons. Also, the chlorine anion in this compound is the main material for the formation of hydrochloric acid, the most important component of gastric juice.

The daily requirement for this substance is from 1.5 to 4 grams, and for a hot climate, the dose of sodium chloride increases several times.

The body does not need the compound itself, but the Na+ cation and the Cl- anion. With an insufficient amount of these ions, the destruction of muscle and bone tissue occurs. There are depressions, mental and nervous diseases, disturbances in the activity of the cardiovascular system and digestive processes, muscle spasms, anorexia, osteoporosis.

Chronic lack of Na+ and Cl- ions leads to death. Biochemist Zhores Medvedev noted that in the absence of salt in the body, one can last no more than 11 days.

Tribes of pastoralists and hunters in ancient times, to meet the body's need for salt, used raw meat products. The agricultural tribes consumed vegetable food, in which there was a small amount of sodium chloride. As signs signaling a lack of salt, weakness and headache, nausea, dizziness are distinguished.

Production features

In the distant past, salt was extracted by burning certain plants in fires. The resulting ash was used as a condiment.

Purification of table salt obtained by evaporating sea water was not carried out, the resulting substance was immediately eaten. This technology originated in countries with a hot and dry climate, where a similar process took place without human intervention, and then, when it was adopted by other countries, sea water began to be heated artificially.

Salt works were built on the shores of the White Sea, in which concentrated brine and fresh water were obtained by evaporation and freezing.

natural deposits

Among the places characterized by large reserves of table salt, we highlight:

• Artemovskoye field, located in the Donetsk region. Salt is mined here by the mine method;
• Lake Baskunchak, transportation is carried out on a specially built railway;
• potassium salts were found in large quantities in the Verkhnekamskoye deposit, where this mineral is mined by the mine method;
• in the Odessa estuaries, mining was carried out until 1931, at present the deposit is not used on an industrial scale;
• in the Seregovskoye deposit, brine is being evaporated.

salt mine

The biological properties of table salt have made it an important economic object. In 2006, about 4.5 million tons of this mineral were used on the Russian market, with 0.56 million tons going to food expenses, and the remaining 4 million tons going to the needs of the chemical industry.

physical characteristics

Consider some of the properties of table salt. This substance is quite soluble in water, and the process is influenced by several factors:

• temperature;
• the presence of impurities.

Salt crystal contains impurities in the form of calcium and magnesium cations. That is why sodium chloride absorbs water (it becomes damp in the air). If such ions are not part of table salt, this property is absent.

The melting point of table salt is 800.8 °C, which indicates a strong crystalline structure of this compound. By mixing fine sodium chloride powder with crushed ice, a high quality coolant is obtained.

For example, 100 g of ice and 30 g of common salt can bring the temperature down to -20 °C. The reason for this phenomenon is that the salt solution freezes at temperatures below 0 ° C. Ice, for which this value is the melting point, melts in such a solution, absorbing the heat of the environment.

The high melting point of table salt explains its thermodynamic characteristics, as well as its high dielectric constant - 6.3.

Receipt

Considering how important the biological and chemical properties of salt are, its significant natural reserves, there is no need to develop an option for the industrial production of this substance. Let us dwell on the laboratory options for obtaining sodium chloride:

1. This compound can be obtained as a product by reacting copper (2) sulfate with barium chloride. After removing the precipitate, which is barium sulfate, evaporating the filtrate, you can get salt crystals.
2. In the exothermic combination of sodium with gaseous chlorine, sodium chloride is also formed, and the process is accompanied by the release of a significant amount of heat (exothermic form).

Interactions

What are the chemical properties of table salt? This compound is formed by a strong base and a strong acid, so hydrolysis in an aqueous solution does not occur. The neutrality of the environment explains the use of table salt in the food industry.

During the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of this compound, gaseous hydrogen is released at the cathode, and chlorine is formed at the anode. Sodium hydroxide accumulates in the interelectrode space.

Given that the resulting alkali is a substance in demand in various production processes, this also explains the use of table salt on an industrial scale in chemical production.

The density of common salt is 2.17 g/cm 3 . The cubic face-centered crystal lattice is characteristic of many minerals. Inside it is dominated by ionic chemical bonds formed due to the action of forces of electrostatic attraction and repulsion.

Halite

Since the density of table salt in this compound is quite high (2.1–2.2 g/cm³), halite is a solid mineral. The percentage of sodium cation in it is 39.34%, chlorine anion - 60.66%. In addition to these ions, in the composition of halite there are ions of bromine, copper, silver, calcium, oxygen, lead, potassium, manganese, nitrogen, hydrogen in the form of impurities. This transparent, colorless mineral with a glassy luster is formed in closed water bodies. Halite is a product of runoff on volcanic craters.

Rock salt

It is a sedimentary rock from the evaporite group, which consists of more than 90 percent halite. For rock salt, a snow-white color is more characteristic, only in exceptional cases the presence of clay gives the mineral a gray tint, and the presence of iron oxides gives the compound a yellow, orange color. Rock salt contains not only sodium chloride, but also many other chemical compounds of magnesium, calcium, potassium:

• iodides;
• borates;
• bromides;
• sulfates.

Depending on the conditions of formation, the main deposits of rock salt are divided into several types:

• underground salt water;
• brines of modern basins;
• deposits of mineral salts;
• fossil deposits.

Sea salt

It is a mixture of sulfates, carbonates, potassium and sodium chlorides. In the process of its evaporation in the temperature range from +20 to +35 °C, the less soluble salts initially crystallize: magnesium and calcium carbonates, as well as calcium sulfate. Further, soluble chlorides, as well as magnesium and sodium sulfates, precipitate. The sequence of crystallization of these inorganic salts may vary depending on the temperature index, the rate of the evaporation process, and other conditions.

In commercial quantities, sea salt is obtained from the water of the seas by evaporation. It differs significantly in microbiological and chemical parameters from rock salt, has a large percentage of iodine, magnesium, potassium, manganese. Due to the different chemical composition, there are differences in organoleptic indicators. Sea salt is used in medicine as a remedy for the treatment of skin diseases, such as psoriasis. Among the common products offered in the pharmacy chain, we highlight the salt of the Dead Sea. Also, purified sea salt is also offered in the food industry as iodized.

Regular table salt has weak antiseptic properties. With a percentage of this substance in the range of 10-15 percent, the appearance of putrefactive bacteria can be prevented. It is for these purposes that sodium chloride is added as a preservative to food, as well as other organic masses: wood, glue, leather.

salt abuse

According to the World Health Organization, excessive consumption of sodium chloride leads to a significant increase in blood pressure, resulting in kidney and heart diseases, stomach diseases, and osteoporosis.

Together with other sodium salts, sodium chloride is the cause of eye diseases. Table salt retains fluid inside the body, which leads to an increase in intraocular pressure, the formation of cataracts.

Instead of a conclusion

Sodium chloride, commonly referred to as common salt, is an inorganic mineral that is widely distributed in nature. This fact greatly simplifies its use in the food and chemical industries. There is no need to spend time and energy resources for the industrial production of this substance, which affects its cost. In order to prevent an overabundance of this compound in the body, it is necessary to control the daily intake of salty foods.