Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Dom Padfield on 28/02/2011 21:30:03

Title: Does hot water contain more concentrated solutes?
Post by: Dom Padfield on 28/02/2011 21:30:03

Dom Padfield  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Just wondering, when very hot water leaves a tap does a lot of the other components, like the small amounts of flourine, that are in tap water become more concentrated, or do some things also evaporate out essentially balancing the water:other molecules ratio as it would have been before the tap got to that temperature, e.g. in the cold tap?

Many thanks

Dom
Swansea Uni

What do you think?

Title: Does hot water contain more concentrated solutes?
Post by: Bill.D.Katt. on 01/03/2011 00:09:51

I think that hot water contains more solutes if it came from a hot water heater. Also most compounds are more soluble in hot water, so anything from your pipes... But if you are considering the concentration change due to the hot water evaporating faster, I would think that the amount of water evaporated wouldn't incur a significant change. But fluorine is added, so the concentration is pretty regular throughout your water.