Molten salt is salt which is solid at standard temperature and pressure but enters the liquid phase due to elevated temperature. A salt that is normally liquid even at standard temperature and pressure is usually called a room temperature ionic liquid, although technically molten salts are a class of ionic liquids.

How does salt turn to liquid?

The simplest example of a molten salt would be to heat sodium chloride (“table salt”) to a red heat (greater than 801° C, or 1474° F)1 upon which it would melt into a liquid. This liquid is stable, has a heat capacity similar to water (by volume) and flows much like water does.

What state of matter is salt?

Being an ionic solid, salt is very susceptible to being torn apart by the polar molecules of water.

Powdered and granulated solids such as sugar or salt crystals might flow like liquids–but under a microscope they are definitely solid. The tiniest pieces of a solid are close together and don’t move around much. Solid things tend to be heavier or denser than liquids or gases. Gases also have no set shape.