Basic electrical site
When water is heated it expands. For temperatures up to 100ºC, this expansion is usually up to 4% of the system contents at cold start up.
When water exceeds 100ºC it can turn to steam and expand to almost 1,600 times its original volume.
A video of how water becomes hard and soft as it travels and absorbs substances.
Given enough time it will: erode, corrode, absorb almost anything. Depending upon where water collects, it will absorb and contain a number of substances.
Depending upon what has been absorbed, water will either be acidic, neutral or alkaline. The amount of absorption is registered on the pH scale (potential hydrogen), depending on what strata water falls through.
Plumbosolvency is the ability of a solvent, notably water, to dissolve lead. In the public supply of water this is an undesirable property. In (usually older) consumers' premises plumbosolvent water can attack lead pipes and any lead in solder used to join copper.
Classic cuprosolvency typically occurs in water that is relatively soft, low in pH, and high in dissolved gases. It generally is characterized by elevated levels of dissolved copper in the water.
Evaporate: when liquid turns into a gas (eg boiling at 1000C).
Freezing: when a liquid turns solid (eg water freezes at 00C).
Condensation: when a gas turns into liquid – when it rains or when water droplets form on cold surfaces.
This is when water can be drawn sideways or upwards between two close-fitting surfaces against gravity. The wider the gap, the less capillary action there is.
Plumbers will encounter this action during their workday both adventitious and as a disadvantage, for example;
Advantage- To make soldered joints on fittings: the solder can be drawn between the two close-fitting surfaces of the copper tube and fitting.
Disadvantage- loss of trap seal under an appliance (S trap) or under sheet lead weathering on a roof.
Chemical symbol for water = H2O
Boiling point of water = 1000C (at sea level)
Increase the pressure = increase the boiling point of water
When boiling it expands by = 1,600 times
Maximum density of water = 40C
Water freezes at = 00C or 2730K
Add glycol (antifreeze) to water = Reduces freezing point
When frozen, water expands by = 10%
Relative density of water = 1
Water heating from 10-900C expands by = 4%
Sensible heat
When heat is applied to water the temperature will rise, but it remains water. It can then be cooled (a change in temperature without a change in state).
Latent heat
If you keep heating water, it will change from water to steam; this is a change in state.
Heat required to raise the temperature to 100 degrees C is sensible heat, heat required to keep it boiling is latent heat.
The only way to fully remove hard water is to install a water softener.
There are other methods such as;
Chemical-does not soften water they prevent scale.
Magnetic scale inhibitor - breaks crystals down so they can flush through, it alters the physical nature of the water
Electrical scale inhibitor - similar to the magnetic scal inhibitor