Total dissolved solids

Okay kiddo, you know how sometimes when we mix something in water, like sugar or salt, it disappears and makes the water taste different? That's because some tiny pieces of the sugar or salt, called particles, have mixed in with the water.

Total dissolved solids (TDS) is a measure of all the different particles that are dissolved in water, like minerals, salt, and other tiny pieces of things.

When water goes through a process called filtration, some of these particles are removed. But if there are too many particles left in the water, it can taste strange or even be bad for us to drink.

So scientists measure TDS to make sure the water we drink is safe and good for us. They use special tools to test a sample of water for its TDS level. The lower the TDS level, the better quality the water is for us to drink.

Just like how we need to be careful about what we put into our bodies, we also need to be careful about what we drink. That's why TDS is an important thing to know about!