💧 Water

Complete Study Guide

🌊 Natural Sources of Water

🕳️ Underground Sources

  • Wells: Holes dug in ground to obtain water
  • Boreholes: Deep holes drilled with submersible pumps
  • Springs: Water flowing from ground as streams/pools

🏞️ Surface Sources

Includes dams, lakes, streams, rivers, seas, and oceans

☁️ Atmospheric Sources

Rainwater collected from rooftops during rainy season

🔄 The Water Cycle

The hydrological cycle describes continuous water circulation between earth's surface and atmosphere:

☀️

Evaporation

Sun's heat causes water to evaporate from oceans, seas, and lakes

🌱

Transpiration

Plants release water vapor into atmosphere

☁️

Condensation

Water vapor cools and condenses to form clouds

🌧️

Precipitation

Droplets fall as rain, flowing into streams and rivers

🧪 Physical Properties of Water

  • Colorless, tasteless, odorless liquid
  • Boils at 100°C
  • Freezes at 0°C
  • Density of 1 g/cm³

⭐ Importance of Water

🌡️

Coolant

Engine cooling, distillation

💧

Universal Solvent

Dissolves many substances

⚗️

Chemical Reactant

Aqueous reactions

Hydroelectric Power

Electricity generation

🏊

Recreation

Swimming pools

🚢

Transport

Boats and ships

💎 Hard and Soft Water

🫧 Soft Water

  • • Low mineral content
  • • Easily produces soapy bubbles
  • • Examples: rainwater, distilled water

🪨 Hard Water

  • • High mineral content
  • • Doesn't produce soapy bubbles easily
  • • Example: tap water

⏳ Temporary Hardness

Caused by dissolved calcium or magnesium hydrogen carbonates. Removable by boiling.

🔒 Permanent Hardness

Caused by calcium or magnesium sulphates. Treated by distillation or chemical methods.

✅ Advantages of Hard Water

  • • Provides calcium ions for bones and teeth
  • • Coats lead pipes preventing dissolution
  • • Beneficial for shell formation in animals
  • • Contains essential minerals for growth

❌ Disadvantages of Hard Water

  • • Wastes soap due to scum formation
  • • Causes inefficiencies in appliances
  • • Can block hot water pipes
  • • Spoils finish of some fabrics

🛠️ Methods of Removing Water Hardness

Removing Temporary Hardness

🔥 Boiling

Heating causes hydrogen carbonates to decompose into insoluble carbonates

🧪 Adding Hydroxides

Calcium/sodium hydroxide precipitates calcium and magnesium ions

Removing Permanent Hardness

💨 Distillation

Water is distilled to separate from dissolved substances (costly for large-scale)

🧂 Sodium Carbonate

Precipitates calcium and magnesium ions as carbonates

🔄 Ion Exchange

Resin exchanges calcium/magnesium ions for sodium ions

🏭 Water Pollution

Definition

Introduction of harmful substances into water due to human activities, including toxic metals, plastics, pesticides, and fertilizers.

🏠 Domestic Sources

Human waste and sewage released into lakes and rivers

🏭 Industrial Wastes

Effluents from breweries, tanneries, textiles, paper industries

🌾 Agricultural Wastes

Pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers that runoff after rains

⚠️ Effects

  • • Causes diseases: cholera, typhoid, hepatitis
  • • Destroys ecosystems and aquatic life
  • • Disrupts food chains through toxin consumption

🛡️ Control Methods

  • • Limit chemical use in agriculture
  • • Treat sewage before discharge
  • • Use organic fertilizers
  • • Proper latrine construction
  • • Government legislation
  • • Prevent oil spills