Purifying Liquids with Simple Distillation

This Year 7 Science lesson introduces pupils to the third key separation technique: simple distillation. Building on their understanding of filtration and crystallisation, students learn how distillation separates a pure solvent from a solution using evaporation and condensation. The lesson strengthens pupils’ grasp of particle behaviour, changes of state and real‑world applications such as desalination and water purification.

Learners identify and label the key parts of a distillation setup, explain how heating causes the solvent to evaporate, and describe how the condenser cools vapour back into liquid form. Pupils apply their understanding to scientific and everyday examples, reinforcing the importance of distillation in producing clean water and separating liquids.

A fully editable PPT and worksheet are included, supporting modelling, diagram work and structured explanation.

Learning Objective:
To describe how simple distillation separates a solvent from a solution.

Success Criteria:

• Label the key parts of a distillation setup.
• Explain how evaporation and condensation help separate liquids.
• Describe real‑life uses of distillation, such as desalination.