CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that, this cofide

project of Chemistry prepared by Master Sibu
Kumar Behera, a student of class xii science Roll no.
has undertaken the project " Conversion of hard
water to soft water " and successfully completed
this project under the guidance of Mrs. Namita
Tripathy (Subject Teacher) for the practical
examination conducted by AISSCE, New Delhi
during the academic year 2015-16.

Sign. of the sub. teacher

Principal

Sign of the

Sign. of external
examiner

Acknowledgement
I take opportunity to express my deep sense
of gratitude to Sri Sanjay Kumar Behera (PGT
chemistry) , JNV, Surangi, Ganjam for his valuable
guidance throughout the work. I am highly thankful
to Sri A. Sundara, Principal of Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalaya, Surangi, Ganjam for his earnest effort in
providing me with essential library and laboratory
facilities.
I am highly thankful to laboratory
attendant Mr. Chandramani of jnv, Surangi for
helping in my experiments.

Introduction

Hardness of water is due to presence of soluble

carbonates, chlorides and magnesium. The main
source of hard water is river, sea water and tape
water.
Hard water does not produce lather with
soap solution easily because of the calcium and
magnesium ion present in hard water react with
soap to form a precipitate like of calcium and
magnesium salt of fatty acid as soap is a mixture of
sodium salts of higher fatty acids like stearic acid,
palamatic acid and oleic acid.

M2++2 C17H35COONa (C17H35COO)2M + 2 Na

[M=Ca or Mg]
This leads to consumption and wastage of soap.

Required items

Apparatus:

Pipes
Tanks
Tape

Chemicals:

NaOH
HCl
Hard Water
Cation exchange resin
Anion exchange resin

Theory
Hard water:-Water, which does not produce
lather with soap solution is called hard water.
Soft water:- Water, which produce lather with
soap solution is called soft water.

 Causes of hardness of water:- Hardness of

water is due to the dissolved impurities of salt
like HCO3-, Cl-, and sulphates of calcium and
magnesium.
Types of hardness: Temporary hardness: It is due to the
presence of soluble bicarbonates of calcium
and magnesium.
Permanent hardness: It is due to the
presence of chlorides and sulphates of
calcium and magnesium.

Procedure
In inoraganic ionic exchange method, the hard
water which contain either acidic group (-SO3H or
COOH) or basic group (OH- or NH2-) is poured
through a pipe into first tank containing cation
exchange resin, which can exchange H+ ions with
acidic group. Then the water goes to second tank

and wastages from first tank goes out through

another pipe.
In the second tank anion exchange
of resin is present. The resin can exchange OH- or
NH2- ions with base. Then OH- ions formed in the
second tank combines with H+ ions of first tank and
togetherly produce water, which is a soft water
from cations and anions.

Observation
When hard water passes through bed of cation
exchange resin, the cations present in hard water
are exchanged with H+ ions as:Ca2+ +2H+[Resin]

Ca[Resin]2 + 2H+

Mg2+ +2H+[Resin]

Mg[Resin]2 + 2H+

When the H+ ion rich water passes through bed of

anion exchange resin, the anion present in the hard
water are exchanged with OH- ions as:-

Cl-+OH-[Resin]
SO42-+2OH-[Resin]

Cl-[Resin] + OHSO42- [Resin] + 2OH-

Then H+ ions from first tank combines with the OHions from second tank togetherly produce water.
H+ + OH- H2O

Regeneration of resin:- The exhausted resin in dirst

tank are regenerated by treatment with HCl or
H2SO4.
Ca[Resin]2 + HCl CaCl2+2H+[Resin]

Similarly in second tank the resin is regenerated by

treatment with conc. Solution of NaOH.
Cl-[Resin]+NaOH OH-[Resin]+NaCl

Conclusion
This process can convert hard water of river
and sea to soft water, which will be free from all
types of cation and anions. These are more useful
for laboratory purpose which can be used for
drinking.

precaution
For this experiment, freshly prepared dil. HCl,
H2SO4, dil. NaOH will be taken.

Application
1.
This process can obtain pure soft water.
2.
The soft water can be used for better
washing purpose.
3.
Soft water is used for various chemical
reactions to get accurate result.
4.
Soft water is used for daily uses like drinking
and cooking.
5.
It is used in laboratory purposes like mixing
different chemicals preparing different
solutions.

Bibliography
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

NCERT Text book class xii

Chemistry ABC
Chemistry comprehensive
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www.wikipedia.co.in