• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Menu
  • Science Experiments For Kids
  • Science Fair Projects
  • Science Facts
  • Science Questions
  • About
    • Emma Vanstone
    • About Science Sparks
Science Experiments for Kids
Menu
  • STEM Challenges
    • STEM Challenges
    • FREE STEM Challenge Templates
  • Early Years Science
    • Preschool Science
    • Sensory and Messy Play
    • Understanding of the World
    • Pirate Science Experiments
  • Primary Science
    • Baking Soda Experiments
    • Candy Experiments
    • Biology
    • Climate Change for Kids
    • Coding for Kids
    • Chemistry
    • Electricity for Kids
    • Magic Science Experiments
    • Harry Potter Experiments
    • Human Body Science
    • Air Pressure Experiments
    • Life Cycles
    • LEGO Science Experiments
    • Kitchen Science
    • Famous Scientists
    • Forces and Motion
    • Science Sparks Snippets
    • Key Stage 1 Science
      • Animals
      • Everyday Materials
      • Plants
      • Coding Activities
      • Humans and Health
      • Fine Motor skills
      • Science and Literacy
    • Key Stage 2 Science
      • Animals, Including Humans
      • Electricity
      • Light
      • Plants
      • Materials and their Properties
  • Holiday Science
    • Christmas Science
    • Halloween Science
    • Easter Science
  • Storybook Themed Science Experiments
  • Wonderful Women in STEM
  • FREE Science Resources
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • FREE Experiments
  • Science for Kids
    • Kitchen Science
    • Climate Change
    • Egg Experiments
    • Fairy Tale Science
    • Edible Science
    • Human Health
    • Chemistry
    • Inspirational Women
    • Forces and Motion
  • Science Fair Projects
  • STEM Challenges
  • Science Sparks Books
  • Contact Science Sparks
  • Science Resources for Home and School

×
Home » Science Experiments for Kids » How to cool a drink with ice and salt

How to cool a drink with ice and salt

Modified: May 9, 2024 · Published: Apr 19, 2018 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

This clever science hack uses ice, water, and salt to chill a drink in less than five minutes! It’s perfect for when you really want a cold drink but don’t have any in the fridge.

cool a drink quickly using ice and salt .
Chill a drink with this ice and salt hack

How to chill a drink quickly – ice and salt hack

You’ll need

  • A metal bowl ( glass or plastic works as well, but you won’t see the frost on the outside as well )
  • Water
  • Ice
  • Drink in a glass bottle or can
  • Salt
  • Thermometer – optional
bowl, ice, salt, glasses and drinks it bottles ready to chill with ice and salt.

Instructions

  • Half fill the bowl with water and ice.
  • Place a bottle or can in the bowl. The drink must be sealed so the salty water doesn’t get inside.
  • Add a handful of salt to the water and stir.
  • Watch what happens to the bowl and drink.

You should find your drink gets lovely and cool very quickly!

condensation on the side of a metal bowl with the word SALT written on the side

thermometer in a bowl of ice and water to show how adding salt reduces the temperature of the water to cool a drink

Why does ice and salt chill a drink so quickly?

The salt lowers the melting/freezing temperature of the ice, making the water temperature drop below zero ( freezing point depression ). When salt is added to the icy water mixture, the ice starts to melt. Melting requires energy. The ice absorbs heat energy from its surroundings ( the water and drink ) to melt. This means the water in the bowl and the drink get very cold quickly.

a thermometer in a bowl of ice and water with a can of drink for a science investigation

Another way to demonstrate this is with a frost on a can experiment or by making ice cream with salt and ice ( it tastes better than it sounds! )

Orange drink in ice and water for a science investigation about chilling a drink using ice, salt and water
Cool a drink quickly with ice and salt

Extension activities

Can you design an experiment as a control condition? Maybe ice and water with no salt??

Try recording the temperature before and after adding the salt.

Find out if the temperature drops further if you add more salt.

Experiment to find out what happens if you use a plastic bottle and compare the difference in temperatures of a drink in plastic and metal containers.

Discover whether using a smaller drinks container makes the drink cool more quickly.

Investigate to find the lowest temperature the icy water mixture can reach using an insulated container to reduce heat loss.

Note: If you use a can, be careful when you open it!

More Fun Science Investigations for Kids

Have you tried my 50 Kitchen Science Experiments? You can make baked Alaska, bubbly honeycomb, learn about earthquakes with gumdrop towers and more.

kitchen science for kids

Like a challenge? Try my easy summer STEM Challenges for kids. They include fizzy potions, sugar cube towers, treasure maps and many more science ideas for fun in the sun.

Image of an orange drink in a tub of water with ice and salt
Chill a drink fast

Last Updated on May 9, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

More Science Experiments for Kids

  • Edible Butterfly Life cycle
    Edible Butterfly Life Cycle
  • Ace Your Exams: Fantastic GCSE Science Resources
  • Make your own drinks dispenser
    Air Pressure Demonstration – DIY Drinks Dispenser
  • 50 Summer Science Experiments - make a lolly stick chain reaction, a solar oven, bubble snake and lots more summer science experiments for kids #summerscience #scienceforkids #scienceexperimentsforsummer
    50 Easy Summer Science Experiments for Kids

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dalton

    March 08, 2017 at 5:27 pm

    Learning a ton from these neat areslcti.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Imagine a world where science education is accessible to everyone and is all about hands-on, exciting discoveries. That’s the world I want to create.

More about me

Around the World in 50 Experiments

50 experiments about countries of the world

Footer

↑ back to top

Science Sparks - FREE science experiments for kids

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Science Sparks - Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd