Question

Identify the solute and solvent in this solution containing calcium chloride and water. Explain your answer.

Short answer

In this solution, calcium chloride is the solute because it gets dissolved, while water is the solvent because it does the dissolving.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the terms

First, recognize the definition of solute and solvent. A 'solute' is the substance that is being dissolved by another substance. A 'solvent', on the other hand, is the substance that does the dissolving - that is, it breaks the solute particles apart and distributes them uniformly in the solution.

Identifying the substances

In the given solution, the substances are calcium chloride and water. These two substances combine to create a solution.

Identifying the Solute and Solvent

In this case, the substance that gets dissolved (the solute) is calcium chloride while water is the substance that does the dissolving (the solvent). This is based on the principle that in most solutions, water is the solvent due to its capacity to dissolve a wide range of substances.

Key concepts

Solution Chemistry

Solution chemistry is a fundamental area of study that focuses on how substances dissolve and interact in a solvent to form a homogeneous mixture known as a solution. It encompasses the understanding of various concepts including the identification of solutes and solvents, the mechanism of dissolution, and the nature of interactions between different molecules.

A solute is generally considered to be the substance that is present in a lesser amount and is dissolved by the solvent, which is present in a larger amount. The process of dissolution involves breaking the solute's intermolecular bonds and forming new interactions with the solvent molecules, often facilitated by the solvent's physical properties like polarity, temperature, and dielectric constant. Understanding solution chemistry is essential for various applications, ranging from everyday cooking to pharmaceutical formulations.

Solubility

The concept of solubility is integral to solution chemistry, as it measures the ability of a solute to dissolve in a solvent. Solubility is not a one-size-fits-all property but varies greatly depending on the substances involved and conditions like temperature and pressure.

Solubility is determined by a delicate balance between the forces within the solute and between the solute and solvent. For instance, polar solutes tend to dissolve well in polar solvents due to the electrostatic attraction between opposite charges, often summarized by the principle 'like dissolves like.' Temperature also plays a crucial role in solubility; typically, as the temperature increases, the solubility of solids and liquids in a solvent increases while the solubility of gases decreases. Understanding solubility is important for predicting and controlling the outcome when mixing different substances, and it is a key factor in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science.

Chemical Solutions

Chemical solutions are ubiquitous in both nature and industry, encompassing a vast range of daily products, like beverages and cleaning agents, as well as critical applications in science like reagent preparation in laboratories.

A chemical solution is composed of a solvent, which is the substance that dissolves the solute, and the solute itself, which is the substance that is dissolved. The result is a uniform mixture where the solute's particles are evenly distributed throughout the solvent. It is the unique characteristics of both solute and solvent that determine the properties of a solution, including its boiling point, freezing point, and vapor pressure. Solutions can be as simple as salt in water or as complex as colloidal dispersions, each with its own set of rules governing solubility, concentration, and interaction between its components. Armed with a fundamental knowledge of chemical solutions, students and professionals alike can approach tasks such as recipe formulation or drug development with a solid grounding in how substances will interact in a solution.