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Using Resources

Desalination, and analysing water samples

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2

Overview

Desalination of salty water by distillation or reverse osmosis and why it is expensive, comparing the treatment of ground water and salty water, why filtering comes before sterilising, analysing water samples for pH, dissolved solids and purity, purifying a sample by distillation, and collecting representative water samples.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is desalination?

Key term

When does a country need to desalinate water?

Process

Name two processes used to desalinate sea water.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is desalination?

    Model answer

    The removal of dissolved salts from salty water or sea water so that it can be used as drinking water.

  2. 2

    When does a country need to desalinate water?

    Model answer

    When its supplies of fresh water are limited, so salty water or sea water has to be used instead.

  3. 3

    Name two processes used to desalinate sea water.

    Model answer

    Distillation, and membrane processes such as reverse osmosis.

  4. 4

    Describe how distillation produces drinking water from sea water.

    Model answer

    The sea water is boiled and the water vapour is condensed back to liquid, leaving the dissolved salts behind.

  5. 5

    Explain why desalination is an expensive way to produce potable water.

    Model answer

    It needs large amounts of energy, either to boil the water or to force it through membranes.

  6. 6

    Compare the treatment needed for ground water with the treatment needed for salty water.

    Model answer

    Ground water only needs filtering and sterilising, while salty water must also have its dissolved salts removed by distillation or reverse osmosis.

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