Solvents dissolve solutes to form solutions. Polarity is a key factor in solubility, with “like dissolves like” being a general rule. Choosing the best conditions for dissolving a solute can save money. Solvents are used in many household chemicals and personal care products, and most are organic.
A solvent is a substance in which another substance, called a solute, can dissolve to form a solution. Both solvent and solute can be solid, liquid or gaseous, but liquid solvents and liquid or solid solutes are the most common and useful. Such substances are commonly used in industrial chemical processes, in a variety of experiments and processes in chemistry, and in some household chemicals. Solvents are not universal: different types of substances must be used to dissolve different solutes. The amount of solute that can dissolve in a given substance is highly dependent on temperature, volume or mass ratio, and the various chemical properties of the substances involved.
Solubility, or the tendency of a substance to dissolve in a given other substance, is strongly dependent on polarity, which is mainly determined by the distribution of electrons throughout a molecule. Chemists tend to follow a basic rule which is generally formulated as “like dissolves like”. This means that a polar solute is likely to dissolve in a polar solvent while a non-polar solute is likely to dissolve in a non-polar solvent. Other properties, such as the volume and temperature of the substances involved, are also important determinants of solubility, but polarity is usually the more important factor.
In both science and industry, it is important to determine the best conditions under which to dissolve a solute. Solutes and solvents can be quite expensive, particularly when used in large quantities, so choosing the best substance and temperature conditions for dissolving a solute can save a lot of money. In some cases, this involves using an excess of solvent to ensure that all of the solute is dissolved, as undissolved solute is often wasted. In some cases solvents can be reused after chemical processes, while in others they are unusable and must be disposed of.
The uses of solvents are quite numerous, even outside the industrial and scientific environments: many chemical products for cleaning or for personal use, for example, contain solvents. They are used in detergents, soaps, paint thinners and a variety of other household chemicals, especially those used for cleaning. Some personal care products, such as nail polish remover, are also chemically solvent-based. Most solvents, other than water, used in homes, industry and laboratories are organic, which means they contain carbon and, in most cases, hydrogen. Some inorganics are also used, but these are used almost exclusively for chemistry research.
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