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Why is water a versatile solvent?

Updated: 4/28/2022
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Surferchickisme

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15y ago

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Commonly describes as the "versatile solvent", water is a substance that can dissolve almost anything. Because of this, water in nature and in use is rarely pure, and may have some properties different from those in the laboratory. Salts such as sodium chloride dissolve in water by dissociating as each ion becomes surrounded (spherical shape) by the polar water molecules. This sphere of water molecules around each dissolved ion is called a hydration shell. Shielded by this shell of water molecules, the ions remain in solution because they are no longer affected by attractive forces from surrounding ions.

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10y ago

Water is known as the universal solvent. More substances can be dissolved in water than any other chemical.This is due to the polarity of the water molecule. Water is made of hydrogen, which carries a slight positive charge, and oxygen, which carries a slightly negative charge. This means that whatever the charge of the substance either the hydrogen or the oxygen will be attracted to it. Although water will dissolve most substances, there are some that is will not dissolve because they have a stronger charge than the water and the water is unable to break them apart.

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Q: Why is water a versatile solvent?
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Related questions

Which is considered a universal solvent?

The most versatile and broadly useful solvent known to man is water. It is sometimes called a universal solvent, as a form of poetic exaggeration.


Why is water cosidered to be the best solvent in the world?

Water is an extremely versatile solvent which dissolves a tremendously wide range of substances, and in addition, it is very abundant and readily available, so it is very convenient to use.


Is a water a universal solvent?

Water is a tremendously versatile solvent, and is often described as the closest thing that we have to a universal solvent. But no, it does not dissolve everything. The answer is NO, so therefore WATER IS NOT A UNIVERSAL SOLVENT ! And the most important characteristic of water as a solvent is that water has a polar molecule.


What is a versatile solvent?

A good solvent can be water for polar compounds. Water is called the universal solvent because many polar substance dissolve in it. However, a nonpolar solute would dissolve in a nonpolar solvent.


What two dissolve in the hot water to form solutions?

There are countless millions of chemicals that dissolve in hot water (or even in cold water). I don't know why you think there are only two. Water is a tremendously versatile solvent.


Why is it to your advantage that water is polar?

Water is the most versatile solvent that we have, and that is entirely because it is so highly polar. All the chemical reactions upon which life depends take place in water. If water was not polar it is very doubtful that life could exist, since there is no other solvent that could fill a similar function.


Why is it to your advantage the water is polar?

Water is the most versatile solvent that we have, and that is entirely because it is so highly polar. All the chemical reactions upon which life depends take place in water. If water was not polar it is very doubtful that life could exist, since there is no other solvent that could fill a similar function.


What two thing dissolve in the hot water to form solutions?

There are countless millions of chemicals that dissolve in hot water (or even in cold water). I don't know why you think there are only two. Water is a tremendously versatile solvent.


Why is water versatile molecules?

Water is a versatile molecule because of its polarity.


What is a water solvent?

Water is the Universal solvent


What is solvent of sea water?

Solvent is water.


What is the solvent in soap solution?

When soap is added to water, water is the solvent