Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: neilep on 05/12/2008 20:19:19

Title: Why Does Salt Water Decompose Stuff Quicker ?
Post by: neilep on 05/12/2008 20:19:19

Dear Salineologists,

Salt water is my all time favourite water filled with salt that occupies most oceans and seas !


See this Salt water lagoon ?

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Nice eh ?...being delivered next Tuesday


Now then, if one of my palm trees was to topple over into the water and another was to fall by the side, the one that is in the water waould apparently decompose quicker !!

Why’s that then ?..why does salt water make things decompose quicker ?..I thought salt was a preservative !

Whajafink ?




Hugs & shmishes



Neil
I Wee-Wee In The Sea !
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Title: Why Does Salt Water Decompose Stuff Quicker ?
Post by: Karen W. on 05/12/2008 23:59:37

Maybe it would depend on what it is being exposed to the salt water.. Some shipwreck items have been raised in remarkable shape after many years of being submerged.. so perhaps there may be some preservation qualities as well depending on depth amounts of salt etc... Maybe I am also full of pooey too~!

Title: Why Does Salt Water Decompose Stuff Quicker ?
Post by: lyner on 06/12/2008 21:30:48

CONCENTRATED salt (concentrate, dear boy) is a good preservative because it takes the water out of living cells (osmosis). Pure water tends to make  many cells swell up and rupture due to osmosis (fingers in the swimming pool etc.)
Seawater is about the right concentration to allow more organisms to survive. ~They all head straight for your body / sarnie and decompose it.