Salt's applications in food preservation, road treatment, and chemical production

¶ … Salt

In the modern world there are many different uses for salt. To fully understand their various applications requires carefully examining how this natural resource is utilized. This will be accomplished by looking at: the foods, roads and chemicals. Together, these elements will highlight the numerous uses of salt.

Food

Salt is a necessary ingredient that helps to make food safe. At the same time, it is enhancing the flavoring and preserving cuisine. As far as flavoring is concerned, it helps to improve the taste and it is ensuring that it is easily digested. The way that it preserves cuisine is to allow the food to remain at room temperatures longer. This prevents it from spoiling by having added amounts preserves. ("Food and Salt Health," 2012)

For example, many people will often include extra salt with their meat. This is to protect the flavor and mitigate the chances of it going bad. In many cases, beef jerky is used as an everyday snack that does not need refrigeration. This is because the high amounts of salt are protecting it against the elements. These factors are showing how this is an essential ingredient that is used to flavor and preserve food. ("Food and Salt Health," 2012)

Moreover, salt is used when making ice cream. This is because it requires much lower temperatures to freeze water (i.e. 20 degrees F). Since the area around the cylinder must be colder, the dairy solution is surrounded with salt to decrease the temperature. ("Why do they use Salt to Melt Ice," 2012)

Chemicals

Salt is also used in the process of making many different chemicals. Two of the most notable include sodium and chlorine. This is because salt contains both of these substances. Those who are able to separate them can use these compounds to create even more volatile mixtures. ("Sodium and Chlorine)

In the case of sodium, the elimination of chlorine will turn it into a reactive metal. This means that it can respond violently when mixed with water. Once this happens, there is the possibility that the substance could explode. This process is used to produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Salt is an important part, by providing the components necessary for extracting the pure sodium. ("Sodium and Chlorine)

Chloride is removed from salt to help make chlorine. This is a an odorless, poisonous gas that was used throughout World War I. Moreover, it is considered to be a chemical weapon and its uses are banned under the Geneva Convention (i.e. international laws of war). Salt plays a central role, as it provides the basic materials that are utilized to make this substance. ("Sodium and Chlorine)