In the winter , people often buy large bags of rock salt to sprinkle on their walkways . why do people do this?

The salt causes the water to freeze at a lower temperature. When a solute, aka salt, is introduced to the system, the freezing point is lowered. This makes the water freeze at a lower temperature.

the mantle

explanation:

earth is divided into three layers: the crust or the outermost layer on which we live; the underlying, middle layer - the mantle - and the core (the innermost layer of earth).

answer is: naturally occurring solid, inorganic compound or element is mineral.

minerals usually have crystalline form, that means than crystal constituents (atoms, molecules or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions.

for example magnetite is a mineral of iron oxide (fe₂o₃).

calcite is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate (caco₃).

dolomite is an   carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate (camg(co₃)₂).