KANO STATE POLYTECHNIC

PRE-ND LECTURE NOTE

GENERAL CHEMISTRY (CHEM 011)

Water, a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen and existing in

gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is one of the most plentiful and essential of compounds. A

tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature, it has the important ability to dissolve many

other substances.

USES OF WATER

We all use water for drinking, cooking, bathing, cleaning, washing, etc. Factories and large

industries use water in large quantities for producing various products required for human

welfare. Farmers also use water for irrigating and cultivating crops. Thus, water is necessary for

many activities; therefore, it is an essential requirement of life.

Combustion Reactions

A combustion reaction is a reaction in which a substance reacts with oxygen gas, releasing

energy in the form of light and heat. Combustion reactions must involve O 2 as one reactant. The

combustion of hydrogen gas produces water vapor:

2H2(g)+O2(g)  2H2O(g)

The Reaction tell you that any sample of pure water contains twice as many hydrogen atoms as

oxygen atoms. This 2:1 ratio agrees with Dalton's fourth postulate that atoms combine in the

1
ratio of small whole numbers. Thus gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen react to form liquid

water.

WATER AS A SOLVENT

Water is called the "universal solvent" because it is capable of dissolving more substances than

any other liquid. The polar nature of the water molecule enables water to dissolve a large number

of substances.

Solubility of Gases in Water

Gases can dissolve in water. The dissolving of a gas in water depends on the interaction between

the molecules of the gas and the water molecules. The amount of gas that can be dissolved in

water depends on the temperature of the water. More gas can dissolve in cold water than in hot

water.

Some of the atmospheric Gases are soluble in water, Carbon dioxide and oxygen are the two

gases in air which dissolves in water by diffusion. Carbon dioxide is important for aquatic plants

for the photosynthesis. Oxygen is used by aquatic animals for breathing.

TYPES OF WATER

Water is of two types namely Soft water and Hard water.

HARD WATER

Hard water is water that has high mineral content Hard water is formed when water percolates

through deposits of limestone, chalk or gypsum, which are largely made up of calcium and

magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates and sulfates.

2
Hardness of water can be of two types temporary and permanent hardness.

Temporary hardness is a type of water hardness caused by the presence of dissolved bicarbonate

minerals (calcium bicarbonate and magnesium bicarbonate). The presence of the metal cations

makes the water hard.

CaCO3 (s) + CO2 (aq) + H2O (l) ⇋ Ca2+ (aq) + 2HCO3− (aq)

Temporary hardness of water can be removed by heating the water. As water is heated the

calcium and magnesium carbonates are precipitated out of the water and collect as residue, the

water can then be recollected and is free of these minerals.

Ca(HCO3)2(aq)  CaCO3(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

Permanent Hardness of Water

When the soluble salts of magnesium and calcium are present in the form of chlorides and

sulphides in water, we call it permanent hardness because this hardness cannot be removed by

boiling.

We can remove this hardness by treating the water with washing soda. Insoluble carbonates are

formed when washing soda reacts with the sulphide and chloride salts of magnesium and

calcium, and thus, hard water is converted to soft water.

CaCl2+Na2CO3→CaCO3+2NaCl

MgSO4+Na2CO3→MgCO3+Na2SO4

3
Soft water can be defined as surface water that contains relatively low ion concentrations and is

low in calcium and magnesium ions in particular. Soft water naturally occurs where rough,

impermeable and calcium-poor rocks are responsible for the formation of the runoff and the

drainage basin of rivers.

Treatment of water for town supply

Public drinking water systems use different water treatment methods to provide safe drinking

water for their communities. Public water systems often use a series of water treatment steps that

include coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.

Water of Crystallization

Water of crystallization is the number of water molecules that combine chemically in definite

molecular proportion, with the concerned salt in the crystalline state. This water is responsible

for the geometric shape and colour of the crystals.

The crystals contain the salts and water combined in definite proportions, and when heated, the

water is lost. Example, CuSO4.5H2O (blue crystals) - the crystals are formed by the chemical

combination of 1 mole of CuSO4 with 5 moles of H2O.

When heated, it looses the water of crystallization (i.e. 5 moles) and forms a white powder,

CuSO4.

4
Efflorescence

Efflorescence is the property of some substances to lose wholly, or partly their water of

crystallization when their crystals are exposed to dry air even for a short time. Examples are:

Washing soda, Glauber's salt, Epsom salt.

Deliquescence

Deliquescence, the process by which a substance absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it

dissolves in the absorbed water and forms a solution. Examples are sodium hydroxide , calcium

chloride.

Hygroscopy

Certain substances absorb moisture from the atmosphere at ordinary temperatures but do not

dissolve in it. These are called hygroscopic substances, and the property is known as

hygroscopy. For example sucrose, conc. H2SO4 and conc. HCl.