Question

Identify the solute and solvent in the following solution:
(A) Sugar solution
(B) Air
(C) Rain water
(D) Aerated drinks

Answer 1

Hint: A solution is a homogenous mixture of two or more substances. Based on the action of substance whether it is getting dissolved or acts as a dissolving medium, the substances can be categorized into solutes and solvents.

Complete step by step answer:
- Let's start with the concept of solute, solvents and solutions. A solution is formed when two substances are evenly mixed together or when one substance dissolves into another.
 -The chemicals that are present in a solution can therefore be classified as either a solvent or a solute. The solvent is the substance in which the chemicals are dissolved or distributed.
- Similarly, a solute can be used as a chemical which must be uniformly-distributed throughout the entire solution. Or in other words we can say it as the substance which is getting dissolved in the solvent.
- According to the above definitions of solute and solvents, we can see that only a single chemical can be classified as a solvent in a given solution. Hence, if only two chemicals are present in a solution, one substance acts as the solute and the other one acts as a solvent.
- The solution which is formed by the combination of a solute and solvent would be homogeneous, stable and will be in one phase. Different types of solutions can be formed from different types of solvents and solutes such as one is liquid and another one is gas and so on.
 - In the given question we are asked to identify the solute and solvents in different solutions.

(a) Sugar solution: In the sugar solution, sugar is getting dissolved in water. Hence, sugar is the solute and water is the solvent.
(b) Air: In the air, the presence of nitrogen is comparatively higher than the other components. Therefore, these minor components such as oxygen acts as the solute and the nitrogen acts as the solvent.
(c) Rain water : In rain water the solute would be dissolved minerals or gasses from the atmosphere and the solvent is water.
(d) Aerated drinks : In aerated drinks, carbon dioxide acts as the solute and it gets dissolved in the solvent water.

Note: The solute and solvent can also be expressed in terms of its amount present in the solution. The solvent will be the chemical that is present in the higher amount whereas a solute will be present in a lesser amount, relative to the solvent, and solute must be uniformly-distributed throughout the solution.