Which Water Conducts Best? Comparing Conductivity in Tap, Salt & Distilled Water

Do different types of water conduct electricity differently? In this video, Museum Educator Karen explains what happens when different types of water are used to complete a broken circuit and light up a light bulb. When tap water is used, the circuit is completed and the light bulb shines dimly, but when distilled water is used, the circuit is not complete. This is because the minerals in the tap water act as stepping stones for the electrical current, but in the distilled water those minerals have been filtered out. However, when salt is added to the distilled water the light bulb shines brightly, because the salt acts as even bigger stepping stones for the current!