BioNinja

Solvation is the process by which solvent molecules surround and interact with solute molecules

• A solute is any substance (usually a solid) that is dissolved by a solvent molecule to form a solution
  

• Solutes that are able to be dissolved by a solvent are considered to be soluble (insoluble substances will not form a solution)
  

Water is commonly referred to as the universal solvent due to its capacity to dissolve a large number of substances

• Water can dissolve any substance that contains charged particles (ions) or electronegative atoms (polarity)
  

• The polar regions of the water molecule associate with molecular surfaces that have an opposing charge, forming dispersive hydration shells
  

Solvation