Chapter 19 - Water Flashcards
Hard water
Water that will not easily form a lather with soap. Hardness in water is caused by Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions dissolved in water
What happens when the chemicals that cause hardness in water react with soap?
The Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions react with a soap chemical/ion called sodium stearate (C₁₇H₃₅COONa) to form a grey insoluble compound called scum which floats on water
Give the chemical equation for the reaction between the chemicals that cause hardness in water and soap
Ca²⁺ + 2C₁₇H₃₅COO⁻ → (C₁₇H₃₅COO)₂Ca↓
Temporary hardness
Hardness that can be removed by boiling water
Permanent hardness
Hardness which cannot be removed by boiling
What causes permanent hardness?
Presence of calcium/magnesium salts that don’t precipitate out of solution upon boiling e.g CaSO₄ and MgSO₄
What are the methods of removing hardness in water?
- Distillation
- Using washing soda
- Ion exchange resin
Describe distillation
Water is boiled and it’s vapour is cooled to condense back into liquid. All impurities are removed. Very expensive so not used on small scale
Describe removing hardness with washing soda
Hydrated sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃.H₂O) reacts with calcium ions in the water and remove them as insoluble calcium carbonate
Ca²⁺ + CO₃²⁻ → CaCO₃↓
Can’t cook with it
Describe ion exchange resin
These resins swap ions that cause hardness for ions that don’t. A.k.a cation exchange resin (+). Usually swaps Na⁺ ions for Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺
Ca²⁺ + 2RNa → R₂Ca + Na+
Eventually the resin will have to be replaced or washed out by NaCl
How do you deionise water?
Water goes through a mixed-bed resin that has both cation (+) and anion (-) exchange resin. This removes all positive and negative ions from the water. All positive ions (Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺) are swapped for H⁺ ions:
RH + Ca²⁺ → R₂Ca + H⁺
All negative ions are swapped for OH⁻ ions:
ROH + Cl⁻ → RCl + OH⁻
The H⁺ and OH⁻ combine to form water
Advantages of hard water
Provides calcium for teeth and bones
Nicer taste
Good for brewing and tanning
Disadvantages of hard water
Blocks pipes and leaves limescale on kettles and boilers
Wastes soap
Produces scum
What does EDTA stand for?
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
What experiment is EDTA used in?
To determine the total hardness in a water sample
Complexometric titration
Titration involving the formation of a complex between metal ions and a reagent such as edta. In this type of titration the end point is marked by a sharp decrease in the concentration of free metal ions
What indicator is used in the titration of hard water and edta? What colour change is observed?
Erichrome Black T or Solochrome Black
wine → blue
Why is pH buffer added to the water sample in the test to determine the amount of water hardness?
To ensure the solution is kept around pH 10
►The reaction between Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions and the edta is pH dependent and (if not at pH 10) the edta may not fully complex with the ions
►Also Erichrome Black T requires a pH of 8-10 for the colour change to work
Why is edta stored in a plastic container?
Edta reacts with the glass ions if stored in a glass container for a long time
What are the stages of water treatment?
- Screening
- Flocculation
- Sedimentation/settlement
- Filtration
- Chlorination
- Fluoridation
- pH adjustment
Flocculation
The coming together (coagulation) of small suspended particles in water