A solvent is a liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous
solute, resulting in a
solution. The most common solvent in everyday life is
water. Most other commonly-used solvents are
organic (
carbon-containing) chemicals. These are called organic solvents. Solvents usually have a low
boiling point and evaporate easily or can be removed by
distillation, thereby leaving the dissolved substance behind. Solvents should therefore not
react chemically with the dissolved compounds — they have to be
inert. Solvents can also be used to
extract soluble compounds from a mixture, the most common example is the brewing of
coffee or
tea with hot water. Solvents are usually clear and colorless liquids and many have a characteristic
odor. The
concentration of a solution is the amount of compound that is dissolved in a certain volume of solvent. The solubility is the maximal amount of compound that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified
temperature.
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