Which process forces water through a membrane?

Reverse osmosis is the correct answer because it specifically utilizes a semi-permeable membrane to separate water from contaminants. In this process, water molecules are pushed through this membrane under pressure, allowing smaller water molecules to pass while rejecting larger molecules and impurities. This method effectively purifies water, making it suitable for drinking and other uses by removing ions, molecules, and larger particles.

Filtration, while similar in concept, generally uses physical barriers to separate particles from water without the application of pressure, and does not involve a semi-permeable membrane as in reverse osmosis. Disinfection refers to the method of treating water to eliminate harmful microorganisms, which does not necessarily involve forcing water through a membrane. Evaporation is a process that involves the transformation of water into vapor, but it neither entails the use of a membrane nor the application of pressure on the water, thus differing fundamentally from reverse osmosis.