• A solvent is a liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute,

resulting in a solution.
• The most common solvent in everyday life is water.
• Most other commonly-used solvents are organic (carbon-containing)
chemicals. These are called organic solvents.
• Solvents usually have a low boiling point and evaporate easily or can be
removed by distillation, thereby leaving the dissolved substance behind.
5. Solvents should therefore not react chemically with the dissolved compounds
— they have to be inert. Solvents can also be used to extract soluble
compounds from a mixture, the most common example is the brewing of
coffee or tea with hot water.
6. Solvents are usually clear and colorless liquids and many have a
characteristic odor.
7. The concentration of a solution is the amount of compound that is dissolved
in a certain volume of solvent.
8. The solubility is the maximal amount of compound that is soluble in a
certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature
Solution of Salt in Water (regular table salt, regular tap water)
a suspension is a heterogenous mixture in which
the particles of at least one component are larger

Common examples
• Mud or muddy water, is where soil, clay, or
silt particles are suspended in water.
• Flour suspended in water
• Paint
• Chalk powder suspended in water.
• Dust particles suspended in air.
Flour suspended in water (appears light blue because
blue light is scattered off the flour particles to a

greater extent than red light)

 The solubility of a solute is the
maximum quantity of solute that can
dissolve in a certain quantity of
solvent or quantity of solution at a
specified temperature.
The main factors that have
an effect on dissolving are:
• The nature of the solute
-properties
• The nature of solvent. –type of
solvent
• Temperature - the hotter the
solvent
• Volume of solvent- larger has more
empty space
• Size of solute -powder
Concentration is the measure of how much of
a given substance there is mixed with another
substance.
1. Concentrated solution- one must add
more solute, or reduce the amount of solvent
2. Dilute solution- one must add more
solvent, or reduce the amount of solute.
3. Saturated solution - additional maximum
solute, cannot dissolve any more solute.
Concentration of Solution
 Organic Solvent
• Common uses for organic solvents
are in dry cleaning (e.g.
tetrachloroethylene), as
paint thinners (e.g. toluene,
turpentine), as nail polish removers
and glue solvents (acetone,
methyl acetate, ethyl acetate), in
spot removers (e.g. hexane,
petrol ether), in detergents (citrus
terpenes), in perfumes (ethanol), and
in chemical syntheses. The use of
inorganic solvents is typically limited
 Acid and Alkali
• 2 classes of acids
• Inorganic acids- hydrochloric acid,
sulphuric acids and nitric acids
• Organic acids- citric acids (lemon),
formic acids (ant and bees). Malic
acids (apple), tartaric acids (grape)
PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

SOUR

BLUE
TO
RED pH < 7

ACIDS

CONTAIN
HYDROGEN CORROSIVE
 Properties of alkalis

BITTER

Blue
To
red Ph > 7

ALKALIS

corrosive
soapy