Demetria, Karis B.

– 1st year-BSChe-BCHE 111/L-2998

Let’s Check

1. What is water? How are water molecules bond together?

- In its gaseous, liquid, and solid phases, the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen make
up the material known as water. At normal temperature, it is an odorless, tasteless liquid
with the significant property of dissolving numerous other compounds. Because of the
attraction between them caused by their polarity, the water molecules are bound together.
In particular, the negative end of one oxygen atom is linked to the positive end of a
hydrogen atom knowing that water has an uneven distribution of electron density resulting
in a partial negative charge near the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge near the
hydrogen atoms.
2. What is eutrophication, what causes it, and what are the dangers?
- The process of eutrophication occurs when runoff from the land causes an excessive
amount of nutrients to enter a lake or other body of water, causing a dense growth of plant
life that frequently causes animal life to perish from a lack of oxygen.
3. What is acid rain and how does it develop?
- It is any type of precipitation that falls to the earth from the atmosphere and contains acidic
elements like sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid. Sulfuric and nitric acids are created when
nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide combine with water, oxygen, and other substances in
the environment to make these gases. The majority of the acids mentioned
above that contribute to acid rain come from the combustion of fossil fuels while small
amounts of it come from natural sources like volcanoes.
4. What is the difference between saltwater and freshwater?
- Saltwater is present in the oceans and seas, where it contains a greater concentration of salt
and minerals. On the other hand, freshwater can be found in rain, icebergs, lakes, streams,
ponds, wells, and so on. It is tasteless, colorless, and has no odor. The fundamental
distinction between the two is the salinity of the water, as freshwater is one of the
necessities for human survival whereas salt water cannot be safely ingested. Freshwater
has a lower density than saltwater, which is higher.
Let’s Analyze

1. How come not all substances are water-soluble?

- This is because they are non-polar and do not interact well with water molecules, the main
reason why many compounds do not dissolve in water. Oil and water are typical
illustrations. Oil comprises non-polar molecules, which do not dissolve in water.
2. How is drinking water purified?
- It is treated using a water purification process that gets rid of various impurities like
chemicals, suspended sediments, and gases. The procedure might involve filtering,
distillation, sedimentation, the use of sand filters, active carbon, or even chemical processes
like chlorination.
3. Is bottled water safer than tap water? Support your answer.
- Since tap water has less of an impact on the environment than bottled water, it is preferred
and promoted in the majority of countries. However, both truly function well from my
perspective. For indoor use, tap water is affordable and convenient; yet, for outside
activities, bottled water is more accessible and just as convenient. Both have inherent
drawbacks, including lead contamination in old plumbing in tap water, as well as the
potential for temporary water contamination from floods and other natural disasters. While
bottled water might be subjected to some toxic or microplastic-containing environments.
Nevertheless, the best option to choose is tap water as it is cost-effective and
environmentally friendly, as long as the plumbing is not old any rusty in any way and has
filters for safety purposes.
4. Why should we not drink seawater?
- It is due to the reason that it has a high concentration of salt and other minerals and it is
not good for the health as the body, more specifically the kidney, cannot process too
much salt content resulting in being unable to get rid of the salt from the body. Drinking
too much can even lead to death due to dehydration.
5. What is hard water? Are there any risks to hard water?
- This type of water contains a lot of minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. Although
it can have modest health benefits, it is not regarded as a health threat, but because of the
mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures and/or detergent performance, it is regarded as a
hassle
 6. What health effects do microorganisms in water cause?
- These water-borne microorganisms can result in symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
headaches, fevers, exhaustion, and sometimes even death. For healthy individuals, it
normally is moderate and passes quickly, but it tends to be more severe in children, the
elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, where things may be different.

In a Nutshell

1. What are the specific ways through which water pollutants enter the environment and
how are pollutants transported through water?
- One of the most common methods is the release of sewage water through sewage systems,
which comes from residential and industrial wastes. The worst-case scenario is the direct
release of some industrial waste on to water's surface. Whether in groundwaters or surface
waterways, the contaminants are conveyed as dissolved substances in the water. Surface
water streams can contribute soil particles that roll, slide, and salt before moving under
granular form and being further deposited downstream. This transport is affected by flow
rate, disturbance, and grain characteristics such as size, shape, and density. Particle
transport is less noticeable in groundwaters and only affects very small grains of debris.
2. As an engineering student, how can you contribute in mitigating the problem in water
pollution?

- As an engineering student, promoting effective irrigation decreases the need for water and
energy-efficient food production because it can restrict the chemicals that enter the water,
which helps to foster green agriculture and climate-friendly crops. Additionally, plastic
waste reduction, wastewater treatment that successfully removes pollutants from
wastewater through a physical, chemical, or biological process, wastewater treatment that
effectively removes pollutants from wastewater, and most importantly, water conservation,
keeping in mind how scarce this resource is.