Solute

What is Solute?

A substance that is dissolved in a solution is called a solute.

In fluid solutions, the amount of solvent present is greater than the amount of solute. One best example of solute in our day to day activity is salt and water. Salt dissolves in water and therefore, salt is the solute.

Table of Contents

• Recommended Videos
• Characteristics of Solute
• Types of Solute
• Solute Examples
• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Recommended Videos

A homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances, in which a mixture, a solute is a substance dissolved in another substance known as a solvent. The concentration of a solute in a solution is a measure of how much of that solute is dissolved in the solvent, with regard to how much solvent is present like salt.

Characteristics of Solute

• A solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.
• The particles of solute in a solution cannot be seen by the naked eye.
• A solution does not allow beams of light to scatter.
• A solution is stable.
• The solute from a solution cannot be separated by filtration (or mechanically).
• It is composed of only one phase.

To Know About Solvents And Solutes, Watch The Below Video:

Types of Solute

Homogeneous means that the components of the mixture form a single phase. Heterogeneous means that the components of the mixture are of different phase.

The properties of the mixture including concentration, temperature, and density can be uniformly distributed through the volume but only in the absence of diffusion phenomena or after their completion. The major types of solute are:

1. Gaseous
2. Liquid
3. Solid

1. Gaseous:

   Gaseous Solute can be dissolved in Gas, Liquid and Solid solvents. For example-
   Gas in Gas – We know that Nitrogen has the greatest composition (78%) in the air. Therefore oxygen and other gases are solutes, Nitrogen is the solvent and air is the solution.
   Gas in liquid- Oxygen in water and Carbon dioxide in water are such examples.
   Gas in Solid- Hydrogen dissolves rather well in metals, especially in palladium. Hydrogen is the solute here.

2. Liquid:

   If the solute is a liquid, then it can be dissolved in liquids, and solids. Here are some examples:
   Liquid in liquid- Here both solute and solvent are mixed their liquid form. Alcoholic beverages are basically solutions of ethanol in water.
   Liquid in Solid- Mercury in gold, forming an amalgam. Water in solid salt or sugar forming moist solids, Hexane in paraffin wax
   Note: Gaseous Solvent cannot hold liquid solute so there is no Liquid in Gas solution.

3. Solid:

   A solid solute can be dissolved into a liquid or a solid solvent. For example-
   Solid in liquid- Sucrose (sugar) in water
   Sodium chloride (NaCl) (salt) in water.
   Solid in solid- Steel, basically a solution of carbon atoms in a crystalline matrix of iron atoms.
   Alloys like bronze and many others.
   Polymers containing plasticizers.
   Note: A solid- gas solution is not possible because uniform or homogeneous composition can never be achieved.

Solute Examples

The solute examples are listed below with the corresponding solution.

Saturated and Unsaturated solution

When a solution dissolves solute as much as possible at a particular temperature, is called a saturated solution. In simple terms, it can also be defined as, at a given temperature when no more solute can dissolve itself in the solution, it is a saturated solution. When the quantity of solute is not as same as the saturation level but less than that, it is known as an unsaturated solution.

Read more:

• Heterogeneous mixture and Homogenous mixture
• Unsaturated solution