A solution is composed of which two components?

A solution is composed of which two components?

• A. Solute and solvent
• B. Solute and protein
• C. Solvent and water
• D. Solute and sugar

Answer: (A)

In a solution, you have the substance that is dissolved and the substance doing the dissolving. The dissolved part is called the solute, and the dissolving medium is called the solvent. So a solution is composed of solute plus solvent. A familiar example is table salt in water—salt is the solute, water is the solvent. Water is a common solvent, but not every solution uses water, so it isn’t universal to name water as a component of all solutions. Substances like proteins or sugars can be solutes, but they aren’t the solvent; the useful rule is that the two parts are solute and solvent.

In a solution, you have the substance that is dissolved and the substance doing the dissolving. The dissolved part is called the solute, and the dissolving medium is called the solvent. So a solution is composed of solute plus solvent. A familiar example is table salt in water—salt is the solute, water is the solvent. Water is a common solvent, but not every solution uses water, so it isn’t universal to name water as a component of all solutions. Substances like proteins or sugars can be solutes, but they aren’t the solvent; the useful rule is that the two parts are solute and solvent.