Distill Saltwater

 

When water evaporates from the ocean, it leaves salt behind. If you had no fresh water to drink, you could distill (or purify) ocean water by taking advantage of evaporation. Be sure to have an adult help you with this!

You Will Need:

What To Do:

  1. Add 1/2 cup of salt to two cups of warm water in a large bowl and stir until it dissolves.
  2. Place a short glass in the middle of the bowl. This glass should be shorter than the rim of the bowl but taller than the level of the saltwater.
  3. Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap, taping the edges if necessary to get a tight seal. Place a rock or other weight on top of the plastic directly over the glass in the bowl. This helps you collect the distilled water in the glass.
  4. Place the bowl outside in the sun, leaving it for several hours or all day.
  5. Check the cup. There should be water inside of it. Taste it to see if it’s salty or fresh!

Results:

As the sun warmed the water in the bowl, the water evaporated, becoming a gas and leaving the salt behind. When the gas rose and hit the plastic, it condensed until there were droplets, just like water vapor condensing into clouds. The droplets rolled down the plastic toward the weight and eventually fell into the glass, like rain falling from the sky. The salt was left behind in the bowl, making the water in the glass pure enough to drink.