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Q:
Can magnetis be used to remove minerals from "hard" water? Is there a simple procedure for classroom use?
- Jacob (age 12)
Joliet,IL
A:
Hi Jacob,
No, I do not think you can use magnets directly to remove minerals from hard water. A common mineral which makes water hard is Calcium carbonate, and it is not particularly magnetic. You might employ a magnet and a coil of wire and an energy source (like a steam turbine) to generate electricity to remove minerals by distillation or by electroplating them out, but that sounds like a roundabout use of magnets in this case.
Sometimes water gets little bits of rust suspended in it making it look brown and yucky. Magnets may have some use in attracting rust particles, but I wouldn’t count on spectacular performance there.
Tom
(published on 10/22/2007)
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