Salt is incredibly important, and really useful. A common myth is that Roman soldiers were partly paid in salt, resulting in the word “salary” We need to keep levels of salt in our body the same or it can be fatal. It has many different uses, such as on our fish and chips, or for de-icing roads. Many industrial processes need salt. More unusual uses can also be found, such as relieving bee stings or testing how fresh an egg is. It can even be used to stop trainers smelling!
If you are trying to eat less sugar, pop a bit of salt in your coffee. The sodium ions in the salt will cancel out the bitterness of the coffee. Watermarks on wood can be removed by mixing a teaspoon of salt with water into a paste and rubbing it on. You can also chill your drinks quickly by mixing salt into a bucket of ice water.
GCSE scientists – you need to be able to explain which salts are made when metal and non metal ions form salts through ionic bonding. You also need to be able to describe the structure and properties of these ionic compounds. In addition you must explain why they have these properties. If you need some help, check out our new “How to work with Ionic Bonding: Part 2” guide. It covers these areas, and includes questions for you to try, along with answers to check your understanding.
Click on the picture below to see the guide.
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