An electron is transferred from sodium to chlorine. Sodium becomes a positive ion and chlorine becomes a negative ion. The positive and negative ions attract each other and form the ionic compound ...

The common acidic cations are hydrogen and aluminum; common basic ones are calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. The proportion of acids and bases on the CEC is called the percent base saturation ...

Despite the name, permanent hardness can be removed using a water softener or ion exchange column, where the calcium and ...

When calcium and magnesium come into contact with positively charged sodium ions, an ion exchange occurs and the calcium and magnesium ions are then traded out for sodium ions. The resulting soft ...

Most water softeners work through a process called ion exchange ... and passes through resin beads, which exchange the calcium and magnesium for sodium, allowing only softened water to flow ...