|
Composition:
Because water dissolves numerous substances in large amounts, pure water rarely
occurs in nature. Precipitation absorbs carbon dioxide and other gases, as well
as traces of organic and inorganic material from the atmosphere. Because water
reacts with minerals in the soil and rocks, surface and groundwater may contain
many different dissolved substances. Groundwater from shallow wells may contain nitrogen
compounds and chlorides, but water from deep wells generally contains only
dissolved minerals. Seawater contains many soluble compounds in addition to salt.
|