Sodium zeolite

Options

A. removes only temporary hardness of water
B. removes only permanent hardness
C. removes both temporary and permanent hardness
D. has no action on salts producing hardness

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Sodium Zeolite**: Sodium zeolite is a type of ion-exchange resin that is used to soften water by removing hardness-causing ions such as calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺).

2. **Types of Hardness in Water**: Water hardness can be classified into two types:
- **Temporary Hardness**: Caused mainly by bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium, which can be removed by boiling.
- **Permanent Hardness**: Caused by sulfates and chlorides of calcium and magnesium, which cannot be removed by boiling.

3. **Mechanism of Action**: When sodium zeolite is added to hard water:
- The sodium ions (Na⁺) from the zeolite exchange places with the calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions in the water.
- This process converts the hardness ions into zeolite forms (calcium zeolite and magnesium zeolite), effectively removing them from the water.

4. **Effect on Water Hardness**:
- **Temporary Hardness**: Sodium zeolite effectively removes temporary hardness by converting calcium and magnesium ions into zeolite forms.
- **Permanent Hardness**: Sodium zeolite also removes permanent hardness by the same ion-exchange mechanism.

5. **Final Outcome**: After the ion exchange, the water becomes soft as the hardness ions are removed and replaced with sodium ions, which do not contribute to hardness.

### Conclusion:
Sodium zeolite can remove both temporary and permanent hardness from water.

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