Multiple choice

When hard water is treated with zeolite, the ions exchanged would include

  1. Na+ and H+

  2. Na+ and Mg2+

  3. Na+ and OH-

  4. Na+ and SO42

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In zeolite water softening, sodium ions (Na+) from the zeolite exchange with calcium and magnesium ions (Ca2+, Mg2+) in hard water. The zeolite releases Na+ and traps Ca2+/Mg2+ ions. This process removes hardness ions that cause scaling. Option B correctly identifies Na+ and Mg2+ as involved in the exchange.