• oxbech@feddit.dk
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    4 days ago

    It’s not to do with breaking thermodynamics. The grains of salt simply act like little so-called “nucleation points” where the bubbles can form easier. That’s why you’ll often see the water suddenly boiling and bubbling violently just as you add salt.

    The water was “superheated” above the boiling point, but didn’t have imperfections in the pot which allowed the bubbles to form easily.

    • RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      I figured it was something like that, and not really defying physics. People have told me I must be imagining it, though, because “no, salt raises the boiling point, dumbass.”

      However I don’t think it’s ever been super pure water, I think it just adds more impurities, so the bubbles start forming.