Water normally freezes at 32°F (0°C). That’s its happy, solid state. But add salt, and you mess with the party.
Salt lowers the freezing point of water. This is called freezing point depression. It sounds fancy, but it’s simple: salt molecules get in the way of water molecules trying to form ice crystals.
Think of it like a dance floor. Water molecules want to hold hands and freeze. Salt is the wild dancer who crashes the conga line. Now nobody can hold hands properly. The water stays liquid longer.
