15.4: Solute And Solvent - Chemistry LibreTexts

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Solute and Solvent

When one substance dissolves into another, a solution is formed. A solution is a homogeneous mixture consisting of a solute dissolved into a solvent. The solute is the substance that is being dissolved, while the solvent is the dissolving medium. Solutions can be formed with many different types and forms of solutes and solvents.

We know of many types of solutions. Check out a few examples in the table below.

Table \(\PageIndex{1}\): Types of Solutions
Type Solvent Solute Example
gas/gas nitrogen oxygen air
gas/liquid water carbon dioxide soda pop
liquid/liquid water ethylene glycol antifreeze
solid/liquid water salts seawater

This section's focus is on solutions where the solvent is water. An aqueous solution is water that contains one or more dissolved substances. The dissolved substances in an aqueous solution many be solids, gases, or other liquids. Some examples are listed in the table above. Other examples include vinegar (acetic acid in water), alcoholic beverages (ethanol in water), and liquid cough medicines (various drugs in water).

A small glass beaker containing a purple liquid on a white surface.
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Typical solution: clear and stable.

In order to be a true solution, a mixture must be stable. When sugar is fully dissolved into water, it can stand for an indefinite amount of time and the sugar will not settle out of the solution. Further, if the sugar-water solution is passed through a filter, it will be unchanged. The dissolved sugar particles will pass through the filter along with the water. This is because the dissolved particles in a solution are very small, usually less than \(1 \: \text{nm}\) in diameter. Solute particles can be atoms, ions, or molecules, depending on the type of substance that has been dissolved.

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