A solvent 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. 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, as paint thinners, as nail polish removers and glue solvents, in spot removers, in detergents and in perfumes. 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. Solvents find various applications in chemical, pharmaceutical, oil, and gas industries, including in chemical syntheses and purification processes.
| SOLVENT | FORMULA | BOILING POINT (OC) | MELTING POINT (OC) |
|---|
| cyclohexane | C6H12 | 80.7 | 6.6 |
| pentane | C5H12 | 36.1 | -129.7 |
| hexane | C6H14 | 69 | -95 |
| heptane | C7H16 | 98 | -90.6 |
Comparison Chart
| BASIS FOR COMPARISON | SOLUTE | SOLVENT |
|---|
| Meaning | The substance that gets dissolved in the solvent in a solution is called as the solute; the solute is present in the lesser amount than the solvent. | The substance that dissolves the solute in a solution is called as the solvent; the solvent is present in the higher amount than the solvent. |
| Boiling point | The boiling point is higher than solvent. | It is lower than that of solute. |
| Physical state | Found in solid, liquid or gaseous state. | Mainly in the liquid state, but can be gaseous as well. |
| Dependability | Solubility depends on the properties of the solute. | Solubility depends on the properties of the solvent. |
Physical Properties of Solvents
Solvent Chart
Solvent Miscibility Rules Chat