How to Distill Water for a Science Project

Water distillation is used throughout the world to eliminate impurities from water and obtain pure and clean water that can be used for drinking or medical purposes. The process of distilling water is very simple and is a common science project that teaches students about boiling point and the different forms water takes as it is heated and cooled.

Things You'll Need

• Tap water
• Food coloring
• Distilling flask
• Sand basin
• Tripod stand
• Bunsen burner
• Liebig's condenser
• Beaker

Instructions

1. Fill a distillation flask halfway with tap water and add a few drops of food coloring to give the unpurified water a slight hue. For a more dramatic demonstration, use a mixture of dirt and water to create a muddy solution.

2. Place the flask in a sand basin on top of a tripod stand. The sand basin will prevent the water from boiling too heavily and will protect the flask from heat damage. Put a Bunsen burner directly underneath the tripod stand and the flask.

3. Connect the spout of the distilling flask to Liebig's condenser, which should be positioned on an angle so that the condensed water can flow downward through the condenser. Position a beaker underneath the other end of the condenser to collect the droplets of distilled water.

4. Light the Bunsen burner and bring the water to a boil. Let the water continue to boil until all of the water has been distilled and the flask contains only sediment.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear protective goggles when working in a laboratory to protect your eyes from exposure to dangerous chemicals and hot liquids.

References

• Distillation of Water Science Fair Project