filtration

Everyday

1. Filtration is the process of separating solid bits from a liquid or gas by passing it through a filter, such as paper, sand or cloth. tree →
2. Filtration is also the cleaning of water or air by filters. tree →

In the lessons

A science word: in lessons on separating mixtures, filtration separates sand from water (but not dissolved salt — that needs evaporation). Water treatment plants use filtration to make water safe to drink. Phrases: filtration system, water filtration, filter paper.

Examples

• We used filtration to separate the sand from the water. tree →
• Filtration cannot remove salt that has dissolved. tree →
• The water goes through sand for filtration. tree →
• The fish tank has a filtration system to keep the water clean. tree →
• Coffee is made by filtration through a paper filter. tree →
• Our kidneys do a kind of filtration of the blood. tree →
• After filtration, the clear liquid is called the filtrate. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Verb: filter. The liquid that passes through is the filtrate; the solid left behind is the residue. Myth: filtration alone does not make water safe — germs and dissolved substances can pass through.