The enigma of cooking salt crystals

Two Soviet experts, Vladimir Gromov and Valentin Krylov, have discovered an unexpected phenomenon on irradiating cooking salt crystals with electrons. When the crystals are subsequently ground the rate at which they are dissolved increases, but not always. The electrons cause the salt molecules to polarize thus creating an internal electric field. This acts against the double electric layer which is inevitably formed in the part of the solution touching the crystal surface. So, if the permittivity of the solution is much greater than that of the molecules of the crystal, the rate of dissolution is increased, and vice versa. (G.T.H.)