10.1.3

Water from Natural Sources

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Water from Natural Sources

Water from natural sources contains various substances that impact aquatic life, health, and the environment.

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Substances in natural water

  • Water from natural sources contains dissolved oxygen.
  • Water contains many substances:
    • Metal compounds from soil and rocks
    • Plastics from pollution
    • Sewage from human waste
    • Harmful microbes
    • Nitrates from fertilisers
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Beneficial substances in natural water

  • Dissolved oxygen supports aquatic life in water.
  • Some metal compounds provide essential minerals for life.
  • Phosphates from fertilisers and detergents support plant growth.
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Harmful substances in natural water

  • Some metal compounds in water are toxic to organisms.
  • Some plastics in water harm aquatic life.
  • Sewage in water contains harmful microbes that cause disease.
    • Nitrates in water lead to oxygen loss and damage aquatic life.
    • Phosphates in water cause oxygen loss and damage aquatic life.
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Environmental impact summary

  • Substances in water can both support and harm ecosystems.
  • Pollution from plastics, sewage, nitrates, and phosphates threatens water quality.
  • Managing natural water requires balancing beneficial and harmful substances.

Jump to other topics

1States of Matter

2Atoms, Elements & Compounds

3Stoichometry

4Electrochemistry

5Chemical Energetics

6Chemical Reactions

7Acids, Bases & Salts

8The Periodic Table

9Metals

10Chemistry of the Environment

11Organic Chemistry

11.1Formulae, Functional Groups & Terminology

11.2Naming Organic Compounds

11.3Fuels

11.4Alkanes

11.5Alkenes

11.6Alcohols

11.7Carboxylic Acids

11.8Polymers

12Experimental Techniques & Chemical Analysis

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