Solution, Solute and Solvent

Take two glasses of water, mix sugar in one and dirt in the other.

Then, you will observe that the sugar dissolves completely, forming a clear, even mixture. The dirt, however, stays suspended or settles at the bottom, making the water unclear.

The clear sugar-water mixture is called a solution, a special type of mixture in which one substance dissolves completely in another, forming a homogeneous mixture.

It has two main parts: the solute and the solvent. The solute is the substance being dissolved, and the solvent is the substance that dissolves, like water.

Some substances, like sugar or salt, dissolve easily and are called soluble solutes. Others, like dirt, do not dissolve and are called insoluble solutes.

Usually, the solute is present in smaller amounts, while the solvent is in larger amounts. When the solute dissolves, its particles spread evenly throughout the solvent.

Solutions are everywhere. The oceans are vast saltwater solutions. Even drinks like lemonade are solutions, with sugar and lemon juice evenly mixed into water.