Final answer:
Distillation purifies water by heating it to create vapor, which is free from impurities, and then cooling the vapor to produce condensed pure water. It relies on the principle that substances have different boiling points and is used in both laboratory and industrial settings for water purification.
Step-by-step explanation:
Distillation works to purify water by taking advantage of the principle that different substances have different boiling points. During the process of distillation, water is heated until it turns into vapor, leaving behind impurities such as salt and other minerals that have higher boiling points. When the vapor is cooled, it condenses back into pure water, effectively separating it from the contaminants.
The distillation process is particularly effective because it isolates the water from impurities through evaporation and condensation. This method can be used on a small scale in laboratories, as well as on a large scale in industrial settings, such as in the production of drinking water from seawater in desalination plants. In desalination, distillation can be done using solar stills or in flash evaporation plants, showing the importance of the science connection in providing technology solutions for obtaining fresh water.