Which term refers to the substance that dissolves other substances?

Which term refers to the substance that dissolves other substances?

• A. Solvent
• B. Solute
• C. Mixture
• D. Physical Property

Answer: (A)

Solvent is the substance that dissolves other substances. In a solution, the solvent is the component present in the greater amount and it does the dissolving, while the substance being dissolved is called the solute. For example, in sugar water, water acts as the solvent and sugar is the solute. The other options don’t fit: a solute is what gets dissolved, not what does the dissolving; a mixture is just a physical combination of substances; a physical property is a characteristic like color or melting point, not the dissolving agent.

Solvent is the substance that dissolves other substances. In a solution, the solvent is the component present in the greater amount and it does the dissolving, while the substance being dissolved is called the solute. For example, in sugar water, water acts as the solvent and sugar is the solute. The other options don’t fit: a solute is what gets dissolved, not what does the dissolving; a mixture is just a physical combination of substances; a physical property is a characteristic like color or melting point, not the dissolving agent.