Why is it that adding salt to ice, lowering it's temperature, makes it melt?

Question

Why is it that adding salt to ice, lowering it's temperature, makes it melt?

Answer 1

It doesn't lower it's temperature so much than lowering it's freezing point.  Most ice salt lowers the freezing point to about -5'F.  That is what makes it melt.

Answer 2

The addition of salt to ice lowers the freezing point of the ice by introducing foreign particles.  The freezing point continually decreases to accommodate the salt until no more can dissolve.  This is called "freezing point depression" and, in terms of ice on the road or sidewalk, the freezing point can be lowered from 0 ºC to -9 ºC.  Having these extra particles in the ice helps it melt and avoid unsafe, icy conditions.

Answer 3

The salt doesn't lower the temperature, it lowers the melting point. So it melts (becomes liquid) at a lower temperature but the temperature itself isn't changed.

Answer 4

Pure ice has a temperature of 0 C

addition of salt lowers the freezing point...

this means that now water will freeze at temperature lower than 0 suppose -4 C

so the ice present at 0 C will melt...as it requires -4 C to freeze