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Desalination Projects for Kids

Desalination is the process of removing salt from water. This process makes it possible to use seawater for drinking. Countries all over the world have entered into fresh water production by desalination, especially in areas near the ocean. The process can be powered by the sun, which makes it a very green endeavor. It is possible to remove salt from water at home. By employing a few household items and a lot of patience, you can produce small amounts of desalinated water with very little effort. The trick is to evaporate the water and leave the salt while capturing the water vapor and allowing it to condense for use.
  1. A Mixing Bowl and a Marble

    • Fill a mixing bowl halfway with salt water. Place a small glass, open end up, in the center of the bowl. Do not allow any water to go into the glass. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a marble or small rock on the plastic wrap over the small glass, allowing the plastic wrap to sag so its lowest point is over the glass. Place the bowl in the sun for several hours. When you remove the bowl from the sun, remove the plastic wrap and notice that there is some water in the glass. Taste the water; it should be salt-free.

    A Pot and a T-Shirt

    • Place a pot of salt water on the stove to boil. Suspend a t-shirt over the pot of boiling water, catching as much of the steam as possible. Always use fire safety when working with a stove. Note the salt in the pot after the water has evaporated. Wring out the t-shirt into a glass and taste the fresh water you have distilled.

    A Tea Kettle and a Tube

    • Cut a hole in the side of a plastic cup and insert a piece of tubing into it. Insert the other end of the plastic tubing into the spout of a tea kettle, then tightly stuff paper towels around the tubing to make a seal. Put salt water in the tea kettle and place it on the burner on medium heat. The water should evaporate into the plastic tubing and come into the cup to condense as fresh water.

    A Pot and Some Aluminum Foil

    • Wrap some plastic tubing in aluminum foil. Place one end of the tubing in a saucepan of salt water, then cover the saucepan tightly with aluminum foil. Place the other end of tubing in a cup or a bowl, then cover the cup or bowl tightly with aluminum foil. Put the saucepan on the stove over high heat and boil the water. It will become vapor and transfer through the foil-covered tubing into the bowl or cup, and it will condense into fresh water good enough to drink.

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