What is ion exchange?
When minerals dissolve in water they form electrically charge particles called ions. Calcium carbonate, for example, forms a calcium ion with plus charges (a cation) and a carbonate ion with negative charges (an anion). Certain natural and synthetic materials have the ability to remove mineral ions from water in exchange for others. For exam-ple, in passing water through a simple cation excahnge softener all of calcium and magnesium ions are removed and replaced with sodium ions. Ion exchange materials usually are provided in the form of small beads or crystals which compose a bed several feet deep through which the water is passed.
