13: Properties of Solutions
- Page ID
- 152541
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In all solutions, whether gaseous, liquid, or solid, the substance present in the greatest amount is the solvent, and the substance or substances present in lesser amounts are the solute(s). The solute does not have to be in the same physical state as the solvent, but the physical state of the solvent usually determines the state of the solution. As long as the solute and solvent combine to give a homogeneous solution, the solute is said to be soluble in the solvent.
Thumbnail: Nile red solution. Image use with permission (CC BY-SA 3.0; Armin Kübelbeck).