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The arrangement of atoms in a molecule of water causes the molecule to be imbalanced. This imbalance causes a very small magnetic field, so it attracts many types of other molecules and sticks to them. So for example, when dissolving salt into water, the charged molecules of water attract the salt molecules and they stick together easily.

A water molecule is formed when two atoms of hydrogen bond covalently with an atom of oxygen. In a covalent bond electrons are shared between atoms. In water, the sharing is not equal. The oxygen atom attracts the electrons more strongly than the hydrogen. This gives water an asymmetrical distribution of charge. Molecules that have ends with partial negative and positive charges are known as polar molecules. It is this polar property that allows water to separate polar solute molecules and explains why water can dissolve so many substances.

The solvent properties of water are vital in Biology, because many biochemical reactions take place only within aqueous solutions. When an ionic or polar compound enters water, it is surrounded by water molecules. The relatively small size of water molecules typically allows many water molecules to surround one molecule of solute. The partially negative dipoles of the water are attracted to positively charged components of the solute, and vice versa for the positive dipoles.
Since water is polar, it is a good solvent

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What is the major solvent in the human body?

Water is the major solvent in the human body. It plays a crucial role in various biochemical reactions, transportation of nutrients and waste products, and maintaining body temperature.


What is the clinging of one substance to another This makes water a particualary a good solvent?

The clinging of one substance to another is called adhesion. Water is a good solvent because its polar molecules allow it to easily form bonds with other substances, breaking them apart and dissolving them. This property makes water effective at dissolving a wide range of solutes.


Water universal solvent?

Water is known as the universal solvent because it has the ability to dissolve a wide range of substances due to its polar nature. The polarity of water molecules allows them to interact with many different solutes, making it an effective solvent for various chemical reactions and processes in nature.


The contrast of solute and solvent?

A solute is the substance that is dissolved in a solution, while a solvent is the substance that does the dissolving. The solute is typically present in a smaller quantity compared to the solvent. For example, in a saltwater solution, salt is the solute and water is the solvent.


What is the Relationship of solute concentration and solvent concentration?

These words are the two parts of dissolution. A solute is what is being dissolved, and a solvent is what dissolves it. The most universal solvent is water, which means that most solutes can be dissolved into it. A solute (e.g. sugar) is dissolved in a solvent (e.g. water) to make a solution - sugar solution

Related Questions

What is universal solvent?

A universal solvent doesn't exist; water is a good solvent for many materials.


Water is not a good solvent for re-crystallization because?

It is a non volatile solvent.


Is water a good solvent for many substanes?

Yes it's the universal solvent


An important property of water is that?

its a good solvent


When the structure of pure water makes it a good what?

solvent


Water is a poor solvent?

This question demands a comparison - poor with regard to what?. Water is a good solvent compared with carbon dioxide. Water is a poor solvent compared with nitric acid.


Water is called the universal solvent?

An universal solvent don't exist; water is only a very good solvent for many substances, a quasi-universal solvent.


What property of water makes water a good solvent?

allows for hydrogen bonding


Is water a univeral solvent?

No. There is no "universal solvent". That said, water is a pretty darn good solvent for a wide variety of materials.Added:Water is a very good solvent for polar compounds (eg. sugar) and ionic compounds (eg. salt) but not for 'apolar' (hydrophobic, means does not LIKE water) substances like fat, grease, oil, gasoline etc.


Can water be a solute?

Water can be a solute under some circumstances. For example, if 1cm3 of water is added to 100cm3 of ethanol, an ethanolic solution is formed in which ethanol is the solvent and water is the solute!!!note: a solute is that which is less in quantity and solvent is which is more in quantity


Did the sugar dissolve in water?

No, sugar is the solute. The water is the solvent.Sugar is the solute, (the thing being dissolved) and the water is the solvent, (the thing that the solute is being dissolved in)


What part of air is the solvent and why?

Water vapor would be the solvent. Water alone is a good solvent.