Aquatic Chemistry and Water Quality

These flashcards cover key concepts related to aquatic chemistry and water quality, focusing on definitions and important terms for understanding water acidity, alkalinity, pollution, and related chemical reactions.

Water Acidity

The ability of a body of water to neutralize hydroxide, indicating the presence of acids.

Hydroxide

A strong base that can react with both strong and weak acids.

Carbonic Acid (H2CO3)

A weak acid found in unpolluted water, formed from the reaction of carbon dioxide and water.

Polluted Water

Water that contains dissolved acids or other contaminants, leading to a change in pH.

Acid Rain

Rain that has a low pH (2-3) due to dissolved sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, resulting in sulfuric or sulfurous acid.

Alkalinity

The ability of water to neutralize hydrogen ions, indicating the presence of bases such as bicarbonate and carbonate.

Dissolved Minerals

Minerals that remain in solution in water, such as calcium carbonate, which can affect water hardness.

Water Hardness

The concentration of calcium ions in water, often related to dissolved calcium carbonate.

Buffer Solution

A solution that resists changes in pH upon the addition of small amounts of acids or bases.

Titration

A laboratory method used to determine the concentration of an acid or base in a solution.

pH Scale

A scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of a solution, ranging from 0 (acidic) to 14 (basic) with 7 being neutral.

Hydroxide Ions (OH-)

Ions that indicate basicity; their concentration affects the alkalinity of water.

Dissolved Oxygen

The amount of oxygen present in water, necessary for aquatic life and affected by temperature.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A gas that can form carbonic acid in water, thus contributing to water acidity.

Titration Curve

A graph showing the change in pH as a titrant is added to a solution, typically used to identify equivalence points.

Equivalence Point

The point in a titration where the amount of titrant added is enough to completely neutralize the analyte.

Strong Acid

An acid that completely ionizes in solution, resulting in a low pH.

Weak Acid

An acid that partially ionizes in solution, resulting in a higher pH compared to strong acids.

pKa

The negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant (Ka), indicating the strength of an acid.

Alkalinity and Fertility

High alkalinity often correlates with high water fertility, as it indicates the presence of nutrients essential for aquatic life.

Degradation of Biomass

The process where dead organisms decompose, consuming oxygen and potentially leading to lower water quality.