Which statement is true about solids in water regarding removal?

Which statement is true about solids in water regarding removal?

• A. Dissolved solids can be removed by filtration.
• B. Suspended solids can be removed by filtration.
• C. Total solids are equal to dissolved solids.
• D. Only dissolved solids contribute to hardness.

Answer: (B)

Filtration works by trapping particles that are physically floating in the water. These suspended solids are large enough to be caught by the filter media as water passes through. Dissolved solids, however, are individual ions and molecules that are dissolved in the water at a molecular level, so they pass through the filter and aren’t removed by simple filtration. To remove dissolved solids, you’d need processes that separate or remove dissolved species, such as distillation, ion exchange, or reverse osmosis. Total solids are made up of both dissolved and suspended solids, so they’re not the same as dissolved solids. Hardness comes from dissolved minerals, so filtration alone won’t remove those unless the treatment specifically targets dissolved ions.

Filtration works by trapping particles that are physically floating in the water. These suspended solids are large enough to be caught by the filter media as water passes through. Dissolved solids, however, are individual ions and molecules that are dissolved in the water at a molecular level, so they pass through the filter and aren’t removed by simple filtration. To remove dissolved solids, you’d need processes that separate or remove dissolved species, such as distillation, ion exchange, or reverse osmosis. Total solids are made up of both dissolved and suspended solids, so they’re not the same as dissolved solids. Hardness comes from dissolved minerals, so filtration alone won’t remove those unless the treatment specifically targets dissolved ions.