In a solution, a solvent is the substance which comprises the bulk of the solution. The substance that is dissolved into the solvent is the solute. A solvent is a substance capable of dissolving another substance. If some of the components of this system chemically react with each other then the inert substance dispersing the reactants is the inert solvent.

One of the most commonly encountered solvents is water. Water is an excellent solvent for many ionic substances but not for the majority of organic substances. Because water is a polar molecule, the water molecules can easily break down ionic crystals and separate the component ions from each other. The water molecules then form a shell around the ions keeping them further apart. Organic compounds and other covalently bonded molecules do not dissolve well in water. One exception to this is some of the alcohols. Because of the...