Salt: The Essence of Life
Multidisciplinary Curriculum
for StudentsUsing Salt, The Essence Of Life (24 minute video)
The video is a concise overview of the story of salt, and its importance to humans and animals. It relates the history of salt over the ages from early more primitive times to today's high tech environment. The video explains salt production technologies, including, mining rock salt, solar evaporation and evaporation. It explores the principal and varied uses of salt, including food flavoring and preservatives, road deicing, water conditioning, chemical production and agricultural uses. The video explains how this mineral affects almost every aspect of our lives.
The following Quiz can be answered by students as they watch the video or used in-class afterwards.
Quiz
1. What did the caravans of earlier times carry on their trading journeys?
2. What was left behind after the oceans receded and evaporated?
3. How is salt removed deep beneath the surface of Avery Island, Louisiana?
4. How is salt extracted from San Francisco Bay?
5. What is the vacuum pan method of salt production?
6. What was the Via Salaria used for?
7. Why do livestock need salt?
8. What other benefits are there from giving salt to cattle?
9. What are the benefits of adding water softening salt to hard water?
10. What are the two chemicals made from salt?
11. What are they used for?
12. What is the benefit of salt in dying fabrics?
13. Why is salt used in canning and in frozen food production?
14. Why is salt used on the roads in cold climates?
15. How many uses does salt have?
16. Why is salt used in the management of blood loss during emergencies?
17. What is the effect of adding iodine to salt?
18. What would happen to our bodies if we did not have salt?
19. Name several body fluids that have heavy concentrations of salt?
20. Is salt a necessary part of our lives?