Problem 10.1: Explain in one sentence why dissolved solids
From Chapter 10 Problem Set. Level 1: Conceptual Mastery.
Question
Explain in one sentence why dissolved solids go wherever the water goes, but suspended solids go wherever the system lets them. What physical principle governs each?
Answer
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Dissolved solids have been dismantled at the molecular level and are governed by chemistry (equilibrium, solubility, reaction kinetics) - they move wherever the water moves because they are part of the solution. Suspended solids are intact particles governed by physics (gravity, flow velocity, inertia) - they settle wherever the system’s hydraulics allow them to stop moving.