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.
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
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!
Why does ice and salt chill a drink so quickly?
The salt lowers the melting/freezing temperature of the ice, causing the water temperature to 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.
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! )
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.
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.
Last Updated on May 22, 2026 by Emma Vanstone
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