Do all of what chemists call salts taste the same? And do they all have the same basic effects on the human body?

xfacilitatorx

Salt: a metal chloride (any of the metalic elements combined with a Chlorine atom or ion). The largest group of all the elements on the periodic table are metalic in nature. http://chemicalelements.com/ A portion of salts taste somewhat similar to common table salt (NaCl) Sodium chloride. Some salts taste like nothing while others are vile, acrid and very reactive. If you have ever noticed the residue left behind from the reaction of Clorox on certain surfaces, what you are seeing is a salt. The brand of table salt that is called "No Salt is Potassium Chloride (KCl) the closest tasting of the edible salts. Feb 27 06, 3:58 PM

xfacilitatorx

As for the reaction on the body, salts are electrolytes, necessary for the normal function of the central nervous system. Not all salts are good for us. e·lec·tro·lyte ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-lktr-lt) n. A chemical compound that ionizes when dissolved or molten to produce an electrically conductive medium. Physiology. Any of various ions, such as sodium, potassium, or chloride, required by cells to regulate the electric charge and flow of water molecules across the cell membrane. Without suspended metal chlorides, water (H2O) does NOT conduct electricity. Feb 27 06, 4:01 PM

hohohaha

I believe that the term "salt", in the jargon of the chemist, refers to the product obtained from the chemical reaction between an acid and a base. The salt Sodium Chloride (common table salt) is the product of the reaction between Sodium Hydroxide and Hydrochloric Acid. The salt Potassium Nitrate (also called saltpeter) is the product that results from the reaction between Potassium Hydroxide and Nitric Acid. The effects on the body are different. Common table salt helps the body retain water while saltpeter has a reputation for diminishing the male sex drive when ingested, although this is not backed by scientific evidence. Feb 27 06, 5:34 PM

Arpeggionist

Nope.A salt is the compound of a metal with a non-metal. (In common table salt, sodium is the metal.) Mar 03 06, 7:55 AM

xfacilitatorx

Salts are often grouped according to the negative ion they contain, e.g., bicarbonate or carbonate, chlorate, chloride, cyanide, fulminate, nitrate, phosphate, silicate, sulfate, or sulfide. Mar 03 06, 5:21 PM