eli5: Why does adding salt increase the buoyancy of water?

Question

eli5: Why does adding salt increase the buoyancy of water?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Adding salt to water increases the buoyancy of things floating in the water, not of the water itself.

The buoyancy of things floating in the water increases when you add salt because salt water is denser than fresh water. Salt water is denser than fresh water because salt and other contaminates can actually “sit” in between the molecules of water increasing the mass without increasing the volume.