What is distilled water for
Distilled water can be produced artificially or naturally and has many applications
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What is distilled water?
Distilled water is water obtained through the distillation process. Water distillation consists of evaporation followed by condensation (returning to a liquid state) of water.
This process provides the separation of a quantity of salts present in common water, also called mineral water. However, distilled water is not totally pure (free of mineral salts), as the distillation is not enough to make the complete separation of these salts.
What is distilled water for
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The largest application of distilled water is usually in laboratories, being used as a reagent or solvent. Distilled water is more effective in laboratory uses and in quantitative analysis, as it provides fewer interruptions due to other substances present in the water. Its use is also possible in batteries and in the steam iron, in the latter case, its advantage compared to mineral water is that distilled water prevents the formation of limescale. In the laboratory, distilled water can be produced through the combustion of hydrogen gas. But it can also occur naturally in the form of rain. Water collected from dehumidifiers and water from the air conditioner are other examples of distilled water.
How to make distilled water
distilled water in the pan
- Half fill a large pot with water;
- Place a small glass bowl in the pan, making sure it floats (it cannot touch the bottom). If the bowl does not float, place some support in the pan, such as a large iron one;
- Turn the heat on and watch the water evaporate and fall into the bowl. But if it starts to boil, lower the heat;
- To speed up water collection, make the water condense. To do this, turn the lid of the pan so that its concave side is on top and fill it with ice;
- Bring the water to a boil and fill the water bowl to the amount you want to use;
- Remove the bowl of water from the pot and pour into a container.
Distilled water from rain
- Collect rainwater in a large, clean container (you can use a cistern, proper collector for this. Understand more about the topic in the article: "Rainwater harvesting: know the advantages and necessary precautions for using the cistern") ;
- Okay, you already have distilled water, so store it in clean and closed containers to avoid the dengue mosquito.
- Practical, beautiful and economical rainwater catchment system
- How to make a residential cistern
- Vertical cisterns: residential options for rainwater harvesting
Is distilled water harmful if consumed?
At first, distilled water is okay if consumed. Drinking distilled water can even prevent or lessen the appearance of kidney stones. However, distilled water should not replace the consumption of common mineral water, since the latter is a source of essential minerals for the body and suspending its consumption can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
