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Properties of Water- The Universal Solvent quiz #3

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  • What is the difference between a solvent and a solute in a solution?
    The solvent is the substance that does the dissolving and is usually present in larger amounts, while the solute is the substance that gets dissolved and is present in smaller amounts.
  • What is a solution in the context of chemistry and biology?
    A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solute dissolved in a solvent.
  • How does water dissolve ionic compounds like sodium chloride?
    Water dissolves ionic compounds by surrounding the ions with hydration shells, disrupting the ionic bonds and separating the ions into the solution.
  • What is the main characteristic of a homogeneous solution?
    A homogeneous solution has its components evenly distributed throughout, making it uniform in composition.
  • What does the root 'homo' in 'homogeneous' indicate about the solution?
    The root 'homo' means 'same,' indicating that a homogeneous solution is uniform throughout.
  • What does it mean for a substance to be hydrophilic?
    A hydrophilic substance is 'water-loving' and readily dissolves in water due to its affinity for water molecules.
  • What does it mean for a substance to be hydrophobic?
    A hydrophobic substance is 'water-fearing' and does not dissolve well in water, often separating from it.
  • Why do hydrophobic substances not dissolve well in water?
    Hydrophobic substances do not dissolve well in water because they lack an affinity for water molecules and tend to separate from them.
  • Give an example of a hydrophobic substance and explain why it is hydrophobic.
    Vegetable oil is hydrophobic because its nonpolar molecules do not interact favorably with water, causing it to separate rather than dissolve.
  • Why is understanding the properties of water as a solvent important in biology?
    Understanding water's solvent properties is important because many biological processes depend on the ability of water to dissolve and transport various substances.
  • How do hydration shells contribute to the dissolving process in water?
    Hydration shells form around dissolved ions or molecules, stabilizing them in solution and preventing them from recombining.
  • What is the significance of the terms 'solvent' and 'solute' in describing solutions?
    The terms 'solvent' and 'solute' help distinguish between the substance doing the dissolving (solvent) and the substance being dissolved (solute) in a solution.
  • What property of water allows it to disrupt ionic bonds in salts like NaCl?
    Water's polarity allows it to surround and separate the positive and negative ions in salts, disrupting their ionic bonds.
  • What is meant by the term 'universal solvent,' and does it mean water can dissolve everything?
    'Universal solvent' refers to water's ability to dissolve many substances, but it does not mean water can dissolve everything, especially hydrophobic substances.