Origins of Lithia Water

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Page ID: 199370

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Analytical Sciences Digital Library

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Q8. If the Lithia spring water was to leach ions from limestone deposits to form soda springs, what primary cations and anions would you expect to have dissolved in the spring water due to such leaching action?

Calcium ions and carbonate ions.

Q9. Soda springs are characterized by significant levels of CO₂. If the pH of a recently obtained sample of Lithia water is 6.4, draw a ladder diagram for carbonic acid, and predict the predominant form of carbonic acid in this sample of Lithia water.

The pH of Lithia water is typically 6.4, and based on the ladder diagram for the carbonic acid system, the predominant form of carbonic acid is the bicarbonate ion and carbonic acid. Since the pH of Lithia water is slightly greater than pK_a1, there is slightly more bicarbonate ion present than carbonic acid.