Question

What physical properties of water cause it to be such a good solvent

Answer 1

Water, which not only dissolves many compounds but also dissolves more substances than any other liquid, is considered the universal solvent.

It is water's chemical composition and physical attributes that make it such an excellent solvent. Water molecules have a polar arrangement of the oxygen and hydrogen atoms one side (hydrogen) has a positive electrical charge and the other side (oxygen) had a negative charge. This allows the water molecule to become attracted to many other different types of molecules. Water can become so heavily attracted to a different molecule, like salt (NaCl) that it can disrupt the attractive forces that hold the sodium and chloride in the salt molecule together and, thus, dissolve it.  So this make water a good solvent.