What is Hardness of Water?

Hardness of water refers to the concentration of minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium ions, dissolved in water. These minerals can make water “hard,” affecting its ability to lather with soap and causing issues like scale buildup in pipes and appliances. The hardness level is commonly measured in terms of milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm). Understanding water hardness is crucial for various applications, including household activities, industrial processes, and water treatment.

Hardness of Water: Temporary and Permanent Hardness

Hardness of Water is caused due to the presence of soluble bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulfates of calcium and magnesium. Hard water is water that does not lather when soap is added. There might be some small health benefits in drinking hard water. It can present severe problems in factories where water hardness is monitored to prevent expensive breakdowns in boilers, cooling towers, and other water-handling equipment.

In this article, we will learn, what is hardness of water, the types of hardness, how to remove it along with the disadvantages and harmful effects of the hardness of water.

Table of Content

  • What is Hardness of Water?
  • What Is Hard Water?
  • Types of Hardness of Water
  • Difference Between Temporary and Permanent Hardness of Water
  • Methods to Remove Temporary Hardness of Water
  • Methods to Remove Permanent Hardness of Water

Similar Reads

What is Hardness of Water?

Hardness of water refers to the concentration of minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium ions, dissolved in water. These minerals can make water “hard,” affecting its ability to lather with soap and causing issues like scale buildup in pipes and appliances. The hardness level is commonly measured in terms of milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm). Understanding water hardness is crucial for various applications, including household activities, industrial processes, and water treatment....

Classification of Water

The classification of water is divided in two types:...

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water contains a lot of minerals. It is created when water breaks through the calcium and magnesium carbonate deposits in chalk and limestone layers. It is inappropriate for laundry because it does not produce a lather when soap is added....

Types of Hardness of Water

There are two categories of hardness of water:...

Difference Between Temporary and Permanent Hardness of Water

The difference between temporary and permanent hardness of water can be understood from the table below:...

Methods to Remove Temporary Hardness of Water

The methods to remove temporary hardness of water are:...

Methods to Remove Permanent Hardness of Water

The methods to remove permanent hardness of water are:...

Harmful Effects of Hard Water

The harmful effects of hard water are:...

Disadvantages of Hard Water

The disadvantages of Hard water are:...

Hardness of Water – Conclusion

Hardness of Water is due to dissolved salts of calcium and magnesium There are two types of Hardness, namely, Temporary and Permanent Hardness of Water. Temporary Hardness can be removed by Clark’s Method and Boiling Permanent Hardness of water can be removed by Calgon’s Method, Ion Exachange Method and Gan Permutit Method Hardness of Water is measured in mg/L or ppm There are several disadvantages of Hardness of Water such as no formation of lather, fabric stiffness, water spots, removal of moisture from skin etc....

Hardness of Water – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the reason of Hardness water?...