What process does desalination primarily use to produce potable water?

Desalination primarily employs reverse osmosis to produce potable water, making it the correct choice. In the reverse osmosis process, seawater is forced through a semi-permeable membrane that effectively removes salt and other impurities, allowing only water molecules to pass through. This method is highly efficient and widely used in desalination plants because it requires less energy compared to other methods and can generate large volumes of fresh water.

While other processes such as evaporation and distillation can also desalinate water, they typically involve more energy-intensive steps and are less common in large-scale applications compared to reverse osmosis, which is favored for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Filtration, while essential in treating water, does not specifically remove dissolved salts and is not sufficient on its own for desalination.