Chemistry Chapter# 15 (Environmental Chemistry II Water)

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Difference between Soft water and Hard
water
Soft Water Hard water
 Water that easily gives lather with soap and  Water that gives little lather and form scum
does not form scum is called soft water. with soap is called hard water.
 It is free from soluble salts of calcium and  It contains soluble salts of calcium and
magnesium. magnesium.
Types
On the basis of presence of soluble salts of calcium
and magnesium, water hardness is of two types :
 Temporary Hardness:
It is due to presence of Hydrogen carbonates of
calcium and magnesium( Ca(HCO3)2 and
Mg(HCO3)2
 Permanent Hardness:
It is due to presence of Chlorides and sulphates
of calcium and magnesium (CaCl2 and MgCl2 ,
CaSO4 and MgSO4)

Q: What type of impurities are present in rain water?

Ans: Impurities present in rain water are:
 Suspended impurities e.g. Dirt and Dust particles
 Dissolved impurities e.g. dissolved gases like N2, O2 and CO2. In polluted areas Oxides of nitrogen
and sulphur either react with water or get dissolve in it, forming acid rain.
 Microorganism e.g. Bacteria and viruses.

Q.6) How chemistry helps to maintain clean swimming pools?

Answer: Chemistry helps to maintain a clean swimming pool by killing bacteria and other microorganisms
by using Chlorine-based disinfectant. It can be easily applied, measured and controlled. Chlorine itself does
not kill the germs when it is added to water, but it reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and
hydrochloric acid (HCl).
Cl2 (g) + H2O() ⟶ HOCl (aq) + HCl(aq)

The hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is unstable. It readily produces the atomic Oxygen (O), which can
bleach the dyes and kill the germs by oxidation. Wet chlorine acts as both a bleaching agent and
a germicide. HOCl (aq)⟶ HCl + [O]
(aq)

PREPARED BY: AMROZIA ASHFAQ 1

Q7 : Differentiate between Raw water treatment and Sewage water treatment.
Raw Water:
Raw water is generally understood to be the water collected, to be treated and distributed as
potable (drinking) water. Water from rivers, lakes, underground etc. are the sources of raw
water.
Raw water treatment for potable water production mainly involves settling process which
removes suspended solids followed by coagulation, then filtration to remove fine suspended
solids .At the end disinfection is done by chlorination to kill pathogen before being sent to
storage reservoirs.

Sewage water:
Sewage is the sewer collected from houses (toilet, flush, bathroom, kitchen etc.) sometimes
mixed with rain water from street and parking lots.
For sewage treatment, first the solids must be settled out as sludge (primary treatment), then
water undergoes aerobic biological treatment (secondary treatment) in which microbes
consumes the soluble organic matter and oxidize them into inorganic matter, followed by
disinfection by chlorination before being discharged to kill remaining pathogens.

Q 8: What are the effects of water pollution?

Ans: Following are some of the effects of water pollution:
1. Drinking polluted water can cause cholera, typhoid and diarrhea.
2. It cause rapid growth of algae. Death and decomposition of algae cause deficiency of
oxygen in water that effect aquatic life in water.
3. It is damaging aquatic life, thus breaking a link in food chain.

Q: How water borne diseases can be prevented?

Ans: Water borne diseases can be prevented by taking the following measures:
1. Provision of safe water: Drinking water must be properly treated and purified.

2. Disposal of sewage: There must be adequate sanitary disposal of sewage. A type of waste
must not be discharged directly in water bodies.

3. Control of toxic chemicals: There must be strict control over the use of pesticides and
other chemicals.

PREPARED BY: AMROZIA ASHFAQ 2