Merryland International School

Department of chemistry / Grade 7

Water

Water supply

Clean and safe water supply is very important to mankind. Many problems arise in the event of an
inadequate water supply, including:

o Food shortages and famine due to a lack of crops which cannot grow without a clean water

supply.
o Poor sanitation leads to the spread of bacteria and disease as drinking water becomes infected

Water is taken from rivers, reservoirs or

underground water sources (groundwater). A rock
that stores water is known as an aquifer.

Water treatment

 Untreated water
contains soluble and insoluble impurities.
 Insoluble impurities include soil, pieces of plants and other organic matter.
 Soluble impurities include dissolved calcium, metallic compounds and inorganic pollutants.
 Filtration is the process used to remove large insoluble particles by passing the water through
layers of sand and gravel filters that trap larger particles.
 But bacteria and other microorganisms are too small to be trapped by the filters
so chlorination is used.
 This involves the careful addition of chlorine to the water supply which kills bacteria and other
unwanted microorganisms.
 Cholera and typhoid are examples of bacterial diseases which can arise by the consumption of
untreated water.

Diagram showing the stages in the treatment of water

Chemical tests for water

 Cobalt(II) chloride turns blue to pink on the addition of water. This test is usually done using
cobalt chloride paper. The equation is:

CoCl2 (s) + 6H2O (l) → CoCl2.6H2O (s)

 Anhydrous copper(II) sulfate turns white to blue on the addition of water.

The equation is:

CuSO4 (s) + 5H2O (l) → CuSO4.5H2O (s)

Uses of water

Water in industry

 As a coolant to reduce the temperature of some industrial processes e.g. in nuclear power
plants.
 Watering crops
 As a solvent in many chemical production processes.
 Hydroelectric power stations to generate electricity.
 As a first raw material for many processes e.g. the production of ethanol from ethene and
steam (water).

Water in homes

 Drinking, cooking and washing.

 General sanitation.
 In car radiators.
 For gardens and plants.