Reverse osmosis uses pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane, leaving dissolved salts and other contaminants behind. It works by applying pressure greater than natural osmotic pressure to the more concentrated side of the membrane. This forces water molecules through the membrane while preventing 95-99% of dissolved salts from passing. The filtered water is called permeate, while the concentrated waste is the reject stream. Reverse osmosis can remove particles, bacteria, and other contaminants over 200 molecular weight from water and is widely used for desalination, wastewater treatment, and producing ultrapure water.