Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 13: Problem 17

Explain how distillation can be used to obtain drinking water from sea water.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Distillation involves heating seawater to its boiling point to create vapor, isolating the water from impurities such as salt. The vapor is then cooled in a condensation chamber, where it returns to a liquid state as pure water, leaving impurities behind.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Distillation

Distillation is a process utilized to separate mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture. In the context of extracting drinking water from seawater, distillation involves heating saltwater and collecting the water vapor, which is then condensed into liquid water.
02

Heating the Seawater

The saltwater is heated in a boiling chamber until it begins to evaporate. The heat source can come from various means such as fossil fuels, solar energy, or geothermal energy. The seawater will start to boil and evaporate when its boiling point, which is typically 100 degrees Celsius, is reached.
03

Collecting Water Vapor

As the saltwater boils, the water will start to vaporize, leaving behind the salt and other impurities. The water vapor will rise and is led into a condensation chamber.
04

Condensation of Water Vapor

In the condensation chamber, the water vapor is cooled back down. This can be achieved by reducing the heat or by direct contact with a cool surface. As the water vapor cools, it reverts back into its liquid form, creating pure distilled water.
05

Collecting the Distilled Water

The pure distilled water, now being condensed, is led off into a clean container. The residue of salt and other impurities is left behind in the original boiling chamber. Thus, through distillation, pure drinking water has been obtained from seawater.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Name two colligative properties.

Describe how you would prepare 250.0 \(\mathrm{mL}\) of a. 0.500 \(\mathrm{M}\) solution of \(\mathrm{NaCl}\) by using apparatus found in a chemistry lab.

Of the following three substances, which two are miscible with one another: oil, water, and ethanol?

What is the molarity of a hydrochloric acid solution that contains 18.3 \(\mathrm{g} \mathrm{HCl}\) in 100.0 \(\mathrm{mL}\) of solution?

Calculate the mass of LiF in 100.0 \(\mathrm{mL}\) of 0.100 \(\mathrm{M}\) solution.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free