What is the difference between a solute and a solvent?

Answer 1

In a solution, the substance present in the largest amount is considered the solvent, and the other(s) is/are considered the solute(s). Example: 1 ml ethanol + 2 ml H2O: water is the solvent and ethanol is the solute. 1 ml H2O + 2 ml ethanol: ethanol is the solvent and H2O is the solute.

Answer 2

In a solution, solvent is defined as the base substance, wherein the solute is being dissolved. While a solute is a substance that is dissolved into the solvent. It is not mandatory that a solution should be made up of only one solute and one solvent. In short, a solution can be prepared by combining two or more substances, provided the solutes are dissolving in the solvents.

Example: Saltwater - salt is the solute and water is the solvent. The liquid that does the dissolving is the solvent; the material being dissolved is the solute. The resulting mixture is the "solution", or end product.

The most common solvent is ordinary water; there are a LOT of materials that can be dissolved with water. One common solute might be ordinary "table salt", sodium chloride. The resulting solution is called "salt water", simply enough.