PH, free charge, and flowing water

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between the pH level of fresh water, the net charge of the water, and the magnetic fields generated by flowing rivers. Participants explore theoretical implications and practical applications, including navigation, while examining the underlying chemistry and physics involved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant queries the relationship between fresh water pH levels and net charge, suggesting that rivers, being alkaline, have a net negative charge and could function as conductors generating magnetic fields.
  • Another participant proposes a method to calculate net charge concentration based on pH and pOH, providing a formula for the magnetic field generated by the current flow in the river.
  • A different viewpoint challenges the notion of water having a net charge, explaining that pH is related to ion concentration but does not imply an overall charge in the water.
  • Concerns are raised about the implications of extracting current from flowing water and its potential effects on the river's pH.
  • Some participants discuss the role of dissolved minerals in affecting pH and the confusion surrounding the concept of charge in water, particularly in relation to conductivity and induced voltage.
  • One participant emphasizes Faraday's law in explaining induced voltage in flowing conductive fluids, separating it from the concept of free charge in water.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the relationship between pH, charge, and magnetic fields. There is no consensus on whether water can support a net charge or how this relates to the generation of voltage. The discussion remains unresolved with competing perspectives on these concepts.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on definitions of charge and conductivity, as well as unresolved mathematical steps in the calculations presented. The discussion also highlights the complexity of interactions between dissolved substances and their effects on pH and charge.

wwtog
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Anybody got a relationship between fresh water PH level, and amount of + or - net charge, say per cubic meter of H20, at a nominal temperature. Rivers are usually alkaline, thefore have a net -charge, the cubic meters flowing at X meters/sec, and therefor function effectively as a fat wire. I would like to examine how much magnetic field is generated, naturally from this "conductor". Perhaps to be used for navigation.
 
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Still waiting It must be tough a question for you physics people i guess.
 
pH level gives you the concentration of [itex]H^{+}[/itex] or [itex]H_{3}O^{+}[/itex] ions. You can also find pOH from pH, and use that to find the concentration of the negative ions. Finding the difference between these two concentrations should give you a net charge concentration, I would think. I mean, if you [itex]5 \times 10^{-5} \mbox{ moles of }H^{+} \mbox { ions per Litre}[/itex] and [itex]6 \times 10^{-5} \mbox{ moles of }OH^{-} \mbox { ions per Litre}[/itex], and one mole of electrons has a charge of [itex]-9.64870\times 10^4 \ C[/itex] then you would have [itex]-0.964870\ C/L[/itex]. If it was flowing at [itex]\phi[/itex] L/second, then you would have an electric current of [itex]-0.964870\phi\ A[/itex]. The magentic field as a function of the distance, d, from the axis of current flow (the river), would be:

[tex]B(d) = \frac{0.964870\mu_o \phi}{2\pi d}[/tex].
 
wwtog said:
Anybody got a relationship between fresh water PH level, and amount of + or - net charge, say per cubic meter of H20, at a nominal temperature. Rivers are usually alkaline, thefore have a net -charge, the cubic meters flowing at X meters/sec, and therefor function effectively as a fat wire. I would like to examine how much magnetic field is generated, naturally from this "conductor". Perhaps to be used for navigation.

qnet = [ pH x (your age) - (flow rate) x (my social security number)] x sinπ ; rather than go through the computation, call it zero --- charge balance applies. Reread your intro chem texts. The coulombic energy required to pack one coulomb of "free charge" into a liter of river water is --- shall we say "large?" A river running at such charge density would be truly exciting to see --- at a safe distance --- say, from the next galaxy.
 
Excellent, AKG. Thank You. Now by your calculations, say the missouri river, with a nominal pH of 8, yeilds -9.65e-2 C/l. The flow rate is variable, but 30,000 cft/s is a nominal number. This yeilds a net current of ~31000Amps. Any comments?

On the wilder side now, any means of coupling some of the current out, over many miles, say using an equivalent of a current transformer? & would this action effect the net pH in the river?
 
Hey, maybe we killed the "high amps" low voltage problem for Artic Fox, as well.
 
Ions and Charge

I think you guys may be mislead with the whole charge thing. pH is the negative log of the hydrogen (or technically hydronium) ion concentration. pH + pOH always equals 14 so in a neutral solution, both concentrations equal 10^-7. But the pH is varied by dissolving other compounds in water. Take, as a typical example, HCl. It is a strong acid, and so completely dissociates into H+ ions and Cl- ions. This raises the pH of the water, but there is no net charge on the water. In a river, the same thing happens, compounds get dissolved in the water and certain ones dissociate into ions that increase or decrease the concentration of H+ in the water. There is no exchange of charge here so the water isn't charged as far as I know.
 
That makes a lot of sense, who ever got "shocked" by water. I just got thrown off by the Mag-meter, fluid GPM meter. It has two magnets at say +90 and -90 degrees, and two electric probes at say 0 and 180 degrees. Any "conductive" liquid (ie, water with a pH other that 7), flowing in the system registers and electric voltage proportional to flow rate. Guess the magnetic field simply pushed the +ions right and the -ions left. And thus the voltage.
 
BTW, I am still alittle confused about non-DI distilled water, with a PH other that 7. Is that due to minute amount of dissolved minerals?, And what about the water ionizers? (dubiously) sold as a health product, also just manipulate the inherient dissolved minerals in the water?
 
  • #10
, You think I wore out my welcome, But this uncle buck is here to stay. Now Let's push forward. Magnetic field, flowing water, and PH. Now we got electric voltage to boot, curtsy of the ""magnets in the stream bed. How far can we take this dreamers, or as it looks, sleepers.
 
  • #11
Uncle buck is dissapointed at you physics people. I thought that somebody shark would catch it, guess not. You get an F this go around, But I just got to thank AKG and bystander for their outstanding previous brilliant.

The voltage from the conductive fluid in the b-field is due to faradays law. Nothing to do with free charge in the water or the separation of the flowing ions,

ie. E = B X L X V

whereas E = induced voltage

B= magnetic field intensity

L= distance between electrodes

V= average flow velocity of conductive Liquid.

But, you got to admitt, 31,000 Amps of free flowing charge is pretty inviting, NO?
 
  • #12
Once again, we have a medium that can not support a charge, yet, produces and voltage (ie. potential), I get more confusous all the time, I am alone, nobody to help.
 

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