What Are the Methods of Purification of Water?
1 Minute
Purification of water for kids: learn why filtering with cloth and boiling water removes dirt and microorganisms. A short science lesson in English.
- Filtering water with a cloth to remove sand, stones, and dust
- Why tiny microorganisms in clean-looking water can make us sick
- Boiling water to kill microorganisms and cooling it before drinking
What this lesson teaches
Purification of water is the process of removing unwanted particles like stones, sand, and dust, as well as destroying tiny living things called microorganisms to make water safe to drink. Treating water properly ensures that it looks clean and will not cause harm or sickness to the body.
Filtering dirt with a cloth
Water collected from normal sources often contains small solid particles such as sand, stones, mud, and dust floating inside it. Pouring this water through a cloth filters out these materials because the cloth catches the stones, sand, and dust on top. The liquid that strains through appears clear and clean, but filtering alone only removes the physical dirt that is large enough to get caught.
Why clear water can still be unsafe
Water that has been filtered and looks clear to the eye is not necessarily ready for drinking. If a person could zoom in and look closer, tiny living creatures known as microorganisms would be visible inside the water. Drinking water that still contains these microorganisms is dangerous because there is a high chance it will make a person fall sick.
Boiling to destroy microorganisms
Boiling is the method used to eliminate the microorganisms that remain in filtered water. Microorganisms cannot survive extreme heat when water is placed on the fire and boiled. The high temperature causes these tiny organisms to burst and disappear completely, leaving behind water that will not harm the body.
Steps for safe drinking water
- Filter the water through a cloth so that stones, sand, mud, and dust get trapped on top.
- Heat the filtered water until it boils so the extreme temperature destroys the hidden microorganisms.
- Let the boiled water cool down before drinking it rather than drinking it while it is hot.
- Drink plenty of clean water that has been both filtered and boiled.