Removing Permanent Hardness of Water with Sodium Carbonate

Permanent hardness of water refers to the presence of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium ions that cannot be removed by boiling. This type of hardness can be removed by the addition of certain chemicals, such as sodium carbonate.

Sodium carbonate, also known as washing soda or soda ash, is a white, odorless powder that is highly soluble in water. When added to hard water, it reacts with the calcium and magnesium ions to form insoluble precipitates, which can then be easily removed through filtration or sedimentation.

The chemical equation for this reaction is as follows:

Ca2+ + Na2CO3 → CaCO3↓ + 2Na+

Mg2+ + Na2CO3 → MgCO3↓ + 2Na+

In this reaction, the sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) reacts with the calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) ions in the water to form calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) precipitates, which are insoluble and can be filtered out of the water.

Advantages of Using Sodium Carbonate for Water Softening

There are several advantages to using sodium carbonate for water softening:

- It is an inexpensive and readily available chemical that can be purchased at most hardware or home improvement stores.
- It is effective at removing permanent hardness from water.
- It does not add any harmful chemicals or byproducts to the water.
- It is easy to use and does not require any special equipment or training.

Conclusion

In conclusion, sodium carbonate is an effective and inexpensive chemical for removing permanent hardness from water. By reacting with the calcium and magnesium ions in the water, it forms insoluble precipitates that can be easily removed through filtration or sedimentation.

Carbonated water or Soda water is water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. This produces a bubbly drink that's also known as sparkling water, club soda, soda water, seltzer water and fizzy water. With the exception of seltzer water, they usually have salt added to improve the taste.