Removal of Hardness of Water by Ion Exchange Column

What is the primary purpose of an ion exchange column in this experiment?
Which ions are targeted for removal in the ion exchange process?
Why is regeneration of the ion exchange resin necessary?
What is the function of the resin in the ion exchange column?
How is the efficiency of the ion exchange column assessed?
What is the purpose of calibrating the ion exchange column before the experiment?
Which testing method is commonly used to measure water hardness in this experiment?
What is the typical replacement ion introduced during resin regeneration?
Why is it important to collect a representative water sample before the experiment?
What changes might be observed in the effluent as the ion exchange column operates over time?