Final answer:
Desalination of salt water to create fresh water can be done through distillation, which separates water from salts via evaporation and condensation, or through reverse osmosis, which filters water through a semipermeable membrane under high pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Distilling salt water to make freshwater involves the desalination process. This process is crucial for producing fresh water for human use by removing dissolved salts from ocean water. There are multiple methods to achieve desalination, one of which is through distillation, where saltwater is heated in a flask, causing the water to evaporate and leave the salts behind. The vapor then condenses back into liquid fresh water, which is collected separately.
Another commonly used method is reverse osmosis, which requires applying high pressure to seawater to force water molecules through a semipermeable membrane that filters out salts and other impurities, producing purified water.
The choice of desalination method can depend on various factors, including the location and economic considerations.