What is the process of desalination?

Desalination is a crucial process that involves the conversion of seawater into fresh water, making it suitable for human consumption and agricultural use. This process typically employs various technologies, such as reverse osmosis and distillation, to remove the high concentrations of salt and other impurities found in seawater.

Understanding desalination's significance is important in regions experiencing water scarcity, where traditional freshwater sources may be limited. By transforming seawater into fresh water, desalination plays a vital role in supplementing water supplies and ensuring drinking water availability for populations, especially in coastal areas.

The other options pertain to different water treatment and quality assessment processes but do not accurately define desalination. For example, the removal of contaminants from groundwater pertains to groundwater treatment, while the filtration of surface water relates to processes that aim to clean lakes, rivers, or reservoirs. Assessing water quality involves analyzing water samples to determine their safety and suitability for various uses but does not encompass the conversion of seawater to fresh water, which is the defining feature of desalination.