Distilling Water

Type: Chemistry

Objective: Make fresh water from salt water by using the process of distillation

.Research Questions: What is an element?

What is a mixture?

How does a mixture differ from a compound?

What is meant by boiling point?

What is the boiling point of water?

What are distillation, desalination, and desalinization?

Why are we or should we be concerned about changing sea water into regular drinking water?

Is it possible to drink sea water?

By itself, salt water is harmful to humans, but using a process known as distillation, salt water can
become drinkable!

In this experiment you will convert salt water into fresh water using distillation, which involves boiling a
salt solution so that the water of the solution is turned into water vapor or water gas.

Materials: Table, salt ,Tablespoon ,Sand, Tap water ,Basin, Distilling flask ,Thermometer ,Liebig
condenser,Stand,250ml ,beaker, Rubber ,tubing, Rubber ,stopper, Bunsen burner or electric burner, Two
stands,Tripod,Two clamps, Camera Paper towels (for cleanup)

Experimental Procedure:

1. Gather all the materials you will need for this science project. You may wish to include a camera and
take photos to include in your report and use on your display charts

.2. Put on your safety equipment

.3. Set up the distillation apparatus and shown in the diagram below. This diagram is provided by the free
Wikipedia Encyclopedia. You are free to use it in your report

.4. Start by filling you r beaker with tap water and add one tablespoon of salt. Mix well. Pour the salt water
into the distilling flask

5. Place sand in the basin and now place the distilling flask into the sand before you start heating it.

6. Carefully place the burner under the flask

.7. Connect the distilling flask to one end of the Liebig's condenser.

8. Place the condenser so that it slopes downward and that it other end is directly above the beaker

.9. Bring the salt solution to a boil. Keep an eye on that thermometer
10. Collect the water vapor that is now turning into liquid water.

11. Observe. You will find the water is tasteless and has no distinct odor

.12. Write up your experiment. You may wish to include photos of the apparatus.

1: Heat source

2: Still pot

3: Still head

4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature

5: Condenser6: Cooling water in

7: Cooling water our

t8: Distillate/receiving flask

9: Vacuum/gas inlet

10: Still receiver

11: Heat control

12: Stirrer speed control

13: Stirrer/heat plate

14: Heating (Oil/sand) bath

15: Stirrer bar/anti-bumping granule

s16: Cooling bath. Terms/Concepts: elements; compounds; mixtures; solutions; boiling point; distillation;

Desalinization References: Wikipedia's Distillation

Page Author: Muriel Gerhard

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