Question

Not all solutions are solids dissolved in liquids. Provide 2 examples of other types of solutions.

Answer 1

A substance only dissolves if the attraction between the particles of the solute and the solvent is enough to overcome the attraction of the particles of each substance for others of the same type. For instance, the attraction between the ions in table salt and water molecules is enough to both pull individual ions away from the salt crystal and to separate the water molecules to accommodate the ions. Benzene, on the other hand, does not attract the ions of salt strongly enough to remove them from the crystals. Napthalene does not dissolve in water because napthalene does not exert a strong enough attraction to water molecules to separate them and make room for itself.