What is Solvent: Definition and 83 Discussions

A solvent (from the Latin solvō, "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for polar molecules and the most common solvent used by living things; all the ions and proteins in a cell are dissolved in water within the cell.
The quantity of solute that can dissolve in a specific volume of solvent varies with temperature. Major uses of solvents are in paints, paint removers, inks, dry cleaning. Specific uses for organic solvents are in dry cleaning (e.g. tetrachloroethylene); as paint thinners (toluene, turpentine); as nail polish removers and solvents of glue (acetone, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate); in spot removers (hexane, petrol ether); in detergents (citrus terpenes); and in perfumes (ethanol). Solvents find various applications in chemical, pharmaceutical, oil, and gas industries, including in chemical syntheses and purification processes.

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  1. E

    Why is ice cold solvent used in filtration?

    Hi I was just wondering why we use ice cold solvent when performing a filtration before vacuum filtration? What exactly does it do? Like ice cold alcohol? I know it allows filtration to be more efficient, but how exactly?
  2. C

    Homeopathic remedies can be easily distinguished from the pure solvent

    Homeopathic remedies "can be easily distinguished from the pure solvent"...
  3. L

    Which would be the stronger nucleophile in a polar aprotic solvent?

    Homework Statement Which would be the stronger nucleophile in a polar aprotic solvent? a) H2O or H2S b) (CH3)3P or (CH3)3NHomework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I'm really confused because in my book, it says that in protic solvents, the larger atoms (I-) are stronger nucleophiles than...
  4. H

    Solvent Extraction: Techniques for Extracting Solvents

    Can someone please list some techniques for extracting solvents from solutions?
  5. P

    A quick question about Butane as a solvent?

    If say cold butane bound to something ( butane as a solvent ) is poured into warm water, then what happens. I don't believe anything will happen except the butane will boil off and what is in the solution will fall off to the bottom till the water is cooled completely but I'm just checkin with...
  6. ~christina~

    Determining if solvent layer has water.

    I want to determine whether a solvent layer has water or not. (have: solvent layer + unknown compound(s) dissolved in layer)Usually there would be 2 layers if there is an organic solvent + water, however if the solvent is polar, there would be one layer. situation: I tried using coloured...
  7. ~christina~

    Filtration and choice of solvent

    Another seemingly simple issue that I've never really had to think about before until now. Say, I have to filter out a solid precipitate that I see in a limited amount of unknown solvent. I have a Büchner funnel, but I need to have a solvent to rinse the solid with. Questions I have...
  8. ~christina~

    Evaporation of organic solvent and leftover residue

    I have a question about evaporation of organic solvents and the leftover sample after this is done. (sample dissolved in the organic solvent) Does the sample, leftover after the evaporation of a organic solvent, (used to dissolve the sample) affect the analysis of the dry sample? (basically...
  9. C

    Why Isn't My Quaternary Amine and Ester Compound Soluble in Organic Solvents?

    I have synthesized new compound containing 2 quartenary amine and 2 long chain ester (dodecyl). However, I get difficulties to find the suitable solvent to my system. My compound just soluble at hot water. Logically, because it has long chain ester, it must be soluble at organic solvent. But, it...
  10. F

    What would be the good method and solvent to purify biphenyl?

    Homework Statement what would be the good method and solvent to purify biphenyl contaminated with fluorene? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution The polarity of biphenyl (MP: 68.93°C) and fluorene (MP: 116-117°C ) are same which is non polar but their MP is hugh...
  11. L

    Is water a solvent in this problem?

    Homework Statement Determine the molality of a solution of water dissolved in methanol for which the mole fraction of water is 0.25. Hi all, I just want to ask if water in this problem is a solvent or a solute!? Is water always a solvent even though they say "a solution of water dissolved...
  12. O

    Thermal Expansion of Solvent Mixture question

    Hello, Currently, I am working on a science project involving the creation of silica aerogels through the process of freeze-drying. As a result, i need to experiment with mixtures of solvents with low thermal expansion coefficients (so the crystallization of the solvents will not damage the...
  13. O

    Determining Thermal Coefficient of Binary Solvent Mixture

    Hello, Currently, I am working on a science project involving the creation of silica aerogels through the process of freeze-drying. As a result, i need to experiment with mixtures of solvents with low thermal expansion coefficients (so the crystallization of the solvents will not damage the...
  14. B

    What bonding material is resistant to propanol?

    Hello, I'm trying to figure out how to seal a circuit as described in this thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=2068433&posted=1#post2068433 My question to you chemical engineers, do you guys know of any sort of bonding material (like epoxy) which will not dissolve in...
  15. G

    THF vs. Diethyl Ether: Solvent Choice for Grignard Reagent Preparation

    Homework Statement Why is THF used as a solvent while preparing an alkyl magnesium bromide instead of diethyl ether?Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution THF and diethyl ether being polar solvents are able to co-ordinate to the magnesium. May be it is because THF, which is more polar...
  16. M

    What is a liquid phase chemical that is insoluble in THF?

    Hello, I'm looking for a liquid phase chemical that would be insoluble in THF (that would phase separate). Does anyone know of one, or where I could find that information?
  17. J

    How can water have a molarity if theres no diff b/w solute and solvent?

    mental block about this please help. molarity is mols or a substance per Liter of a solution right? that is, mols of the solute in litres of solution. 1. What is the solution? 2. if its water, then how can you say water has a molarity?
  18. ~christina~

    Effect of Solvents on UV/V Spectra of Benzophenone

    Ah this is a question because I'm new to UV/V spec. What would a solvent do to a spectra of a compound when it is analyzed? Such as a polar/non nonpolar solvent on benzophenone? solvents such as: Nonpolar :Ethanol, Cyclohexane, n-Hexane Polar: Methylene chloride I looked online but...
  19. C

    Determining which Nonpolar Solute most likely to be soluble in nonpolar solvent

    1. Which of the following substances is most likely to be soluble in a nonpolar solvent? a. glucose b. graphite c. sulfur d. lithium fluoride Homework Equations Is there a way to figure out which of the nonpolar molecules above would most likely be soluble using the structure of the...
  20. J

    How can ZnO be well-dispersed in Poly(MMA-co-AA) in IPA solvent ?

    First, using Isopropyl alcohol as the solvent, I synthesized the copolymer by Methyl methacrylate and Acrylic acid. After copolymerization, at 70 C-degree, the copolymer dissolved into IPA. Afterward, I added ZnO powder into the solution with vigorous agitation. While the system got back to...
  21. B

    Why is dichloromethane a good organic solvent?

    I was working on my chem lab, this question occurred to me. Water and dichloromethane are both polar molecule. However, dichloromethane is able to mix with alcohols much better than water. Is there a polarity difference that caused the miscibility to be different?
  22. H

    Solvent accesable surface area

    Hi, what do you think is the best method to determine/calculate in a computationally efficient way the solvent accessible surface area in phenomena like protein folding or protein-ligand docking ? Thanks
  23. T

    Choosing Organic Solvents for Extracting Neutral Compounds

    Here is the question I have, any help would be greatly appreciated. Which of the following organic solvents could be used to extract a neutral organic compound from an aqueous solution? ethyl acetate; ethanol; dichloromethane; hexane; acetic acid.
  24. Z

    What Solvent Can Be Used to Dissolve Collagen?

    In acetic acid?? but I find it is difficult, which solvent I could use? thank you very much
  25. M

    Finding Solvent to Dissolve Paraffin Wax

    can anyone help me to find solvent to dissolve the Paraffin wax which i have? i need to knoe what type of solvent can dissolve it please.:confused:
  26. D

    When a solute dissolves in a solvent, what happens?

    Hi. When a solute dissolves in a solvent, what is actually happening? for example, when sugar dissolves in water, the process I've been given in my book is: -The intermolecular forces between the sugar molecules is overcome -The intermolecular forces between some of the water molecules...
  27. A

    When a polar solvent dissolves an ionic substance

    I can't find the answers to these two questions...could someone help me? Describe the process when a polar solvent dissolves an ionic substance. Why would SO2 go down in solubility when temperature increases? And while I'm thinking of it...my brother brought home his science book and...
  28. A

    Finding force between solut and solvent particles

    hi i just wanted to know how to find the bonding between the solute and the solvent. the following are the ones that i would like to know. ammonia and water ammonia ethanol ethanol and water oxygen and water thank you
  29. K

    Phenol-formaldehyde synthesis and solvent

    Dose anybody know a synthesis of phenol-formaldehyde witch will have a vary pure product and is there a solvent for this polymer that dose not destroy it
  30. F

    Polar aprotic solvent sn2 rate

    In a Finkelstein rxn, if more acetone is added so that the total volume of the solution is doubled, would the reaction be faster or slower and by how much? Polar aprotic solvents (like acetone) increase the rate of SN2 reactions by dissolving the ionic nucleophile and yet not solvating the...
  31. A

    Supercritic CO2 as an extraction solvent

    Last semester we extracted caffeine from tea with CH2Cl2 and we were told it's possible to do the same thing with liquid CO2. This is interesting but pretty hard to do since you need high pressure/low temp in order to get liquid CO2. My question is: would it be possible to use liquid nitrogen...
  32. M

    How a polar solvent works in the separation of polar dyes?

    Explain how a polar solvent works in the separation of polar dyes? How might chromatography be useful in forensic science? i only thing i can think of is figuring out what pen the criminal used... i really need help on this... :uhh:
  33. T

    Raising the temperature of a solvent

    Raising the temperature of a solvent (eg water) alters the maximum solubility why?
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