Which statement describes the solvent in a solution?

Which statement describes the solvent in a solution?

• A. The substance dissolved
• B. The dissolving medium
• C. A pure substance
• D. A mixture

Answer: (B)

In a solution, the solvent is the dissolving medium. It’s the component in which the other substance is dissolved and is usually present in the larger amount. For example, when you dissolve salt in water, water acts as the solvent while salt is the solute. This role defines the solvent, not its purity or its being a separate substance; the key idea is that the solvent is the medium that carries and dissolves the solute. A solution is a homogeneous mixture where the solute is uniformly distributed within the solvent, reinforcing why the statement “the solvent is the dissolving medium” best captures this relationship.

In a solution, the solvent is the dissolving medium. It’s the component in which the other substance is dissolved and is usually present in the larger amount. For example, when you dissolve salt in water, water acts as the solvent while salt is the solute. This role defines the solvent, not its purity or its being a separate substance; the key idea is that the solvent is the medium that carries and dissolves the solute. A solution is a homogeneous mixture where the solute is uniformly distributed within the solvent, reinforcing why the statement “the solvent is the dissolving medium” best captures this relationship.