ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Water chemistry analysis

Water chemistry analysis is like looking at the stuff that's in the water we drink, but we have to use special tools to figure it out.

First, we put some water in a test tube and add a special paper or chemicals to it. Then we look at what color the water turns or how it reacts to the chemicals to figure out what is in the water.

We can find out if there are minerals like calcium or magnesium in the water that can make it taste different or if there are harmful things like lead or bacteria that can make us sick.

Knowing what's in the water can help us make sure it's safe to drink and figure out how to fix any problems if there are things we don't want in the water.