Physical Characteristics of water

The physical analysis of water is carried out to determine physical characteristics of water. These tests are turbidity, color, taste, odour, temperature and specific conductivity.

Fig.1. Low to high turbid water.

1. Solids: Water contains particle size ranging from macro to micro level.
2. Total solids: The dry solid remaining after evaporation and oven dried at 100⁰C.
3. Total suspended solids: The suspended solids can be determined by filtering the water sample and weighing the residue left on the filter paper. 
4. Total dissolved solids: The difference between Total solids and Total suspended solids will be the dissolved solids.(particle size will be 0.01to 1µm)
5. Settleable solids: The suspended solids that will settle within a period of time.
6. Turbidity: Turbidity is light Transmitting properties of water. It is measure of source light adsorption and scattering in test sample. Depends on shape, size and reflective indices of particle in water. The turbidity is measured using instruments called turbidimeters. The list of turbidimeters are

·        Jackson candle turbidimeter.

·        Baylis turbidimeter.

·        Nephelometer.

·        Ratio Turbidimeter.







Turbidimeters and their units are shown Table below

Turbidimeter	Units
Jackson candle and Baylis turbidimeter	JTU
Nephelometer and Ratio turbidimeter	NTU