Katie Wirshingp age lop of Albany  N. Y

How is hard water different from soft water?

All the water in the faucet comes originally from the clouds. But it has many adventures before it flows through out water pipes. If it came straight from the clouds to use it would be the purest natural water in the world. There would be no hard water. But on its way to us it picks up impurities and certain chemicals..

The snow and rainfall collect in lakes and rivers„ Our water supply comes from the clearest of these. Each population area has its own lakes and rivers for water supplies. In some places this supply comes from the year‑round snow and ice that melts from tall mountains. Sometimes the water is piped over a hundred miles to our homes.

Each major supply of water is different$ for the rain and snow which made it have had different adventures. Raindrops. as they fall through the air  tend to collect up carbon dioxide gas„ They also gather dust. Dust and other impurities can be filtered out at the reservoirs.  Bacteria can be destroyed. But it is that carbon dioxide gas that makes it possible for water to become hard water.

This happens to the rain that falls on limey rocks and soil. The carbon dioxide reacts with lime. It changes it into a chemical than can be dissolved in water. The running water then laps it up. This chemical is called calcium bicarbonate. It is the chief mischief maker in hard water. Forms of magnesium and other forms of calcium may also add hardness to the water. Soft water carries little or none of these chemicals. for it has not lapped against limey rocks and soil.

You cannot see the difference between hard and soft water. But hard 4ater leaves a limey shell inside boilers and tea kettles. The heat of the flame separates the hard water chemicals back into lime and carbon dioxides The gas escapes. The lime stays behind to line the kettles boilers and hot water pipes.

And my what a difference in the bathtub. Hard water refuses to make suds. Worst of suds. Worst of all it is mean enough to leave that scummy ring around the tub. This is because the chemicals in the soap react with those in the hard water. Instead of suds. a stuff called calcium atearate is formed. Now you know what to call that ring‑around‑the‑tub next time you have to scrub it off. This stuff will not dissolve in water. Instead it forms a scum.

Let’s get rid of it. We could add more soap. It will lather when all the hard water chemicals have been made into scum. But a better way is to use certain kinds of soda in the water. These turn the hard water chemicals into materials which settler leaving the water soft.

Some homes in hard water areas use a water softener. This is a tank of special crystals. They turn the chemicals into solids and sift them out before the water runs through the household pipes.