Which of the following is an example of a physical water treatment process?

The processes used in physical water treatment are designed to remove particles, suspended solids, and other physical contaminants from water without altering its chemical composition. Sedimentation and filtration are prime examples of such processes.

Sedimentation involves allowing water to stand so that heavier particles can settle at the bottom, effectively clarifying the water. Filtration follows, where the water passes through a medium that captures remaining suspended solids and other impurities. Together, these processes work to improve water clarity and quality by physically removing contaminants.

In contrast, methods like chemical injection and chlorination involve adding chemicals that interact with the water chemically to eliminate contaminants, while reverse osmosis uses a semi-permeable membrane to separate particles based on size and charge, which is not primarily a physical method but rather a mechanical and chemical separation technique. Therefore, sedimentation and filtration represent physical processes due to their focus on the separation of substances without chemical change.