Do you know what happens when you put salt on a slug? The slug seems to dissolve. This is because of a scientific reason. Slugs are mostly made of water, about 90%. They have a special liquid called mucus on their skin. This mucus helps protect them from drying out.
When you put salt on a slug, something called "osmotic pressure" happens. Osmotic pressure is the force that moves water between liquids with different concentrations. The salt creates a big difference in concentration between the inside and outside of the slug. This causes the water inside the slug to move out quickly, making the slug dehydrated.
Slugs usually keep their water balance well. Their mucus has some salt, which helps prevent water loss. But if there is too much salt, their protective mechanism cannot keep up.
It is interesting to learn about this, but we should not put salt on slugs. All living things have life and should be taken care of. Instead, we can observe slugs and learn about their abilities. For example, slug mucus can heal wounds, and slugs can move in the dark.
In summary, the reason slugs seem to dissolve with salt is due to osmotic pressure affecting their water balance. This knowledge can help us understand more about living things. Remember to respect all life.
