Michael+Harrison-+What+is+the+difference+between+a+solvent+and+a+solute?+Give+an+illustration.

= Solvent: = Solvent is a chemical mixture. It is mostly know as a liquid and the can sometimes be gases and solids as well, and they are used for dissolving other compounds. They can also be used for the removal of materials from other media. This is used for the purification of solid substances by recrystallization.

Solute:
Solution, in ordinary usage, a clear liquid in which two or more materials appear to be completely blended. Solution has been defined as a homogenous molecular or atomic mixture of two or more substances.A somewhat more exact definition would be that a solution is a system of two or more chemical substances that has the same chemical composition and physical properties in every part. A solution differs from a suspension in that the substances in a solution do not separate with time—except through such processes as evaporation—where as those in a suspension do.

= D ifferences: = Well mainly, Solvent is a liquid that breaks down other media and solute is a clear liquid that a system of two or more chemical substances that has the same chemical composition and physical properties in every part. Solvent can be solid, liquid or gas and solute and mostly only be a liquid and solvent dissolves other media and Solute does not. Also, Solute is made up of two or more mixtures and Solvent is only made up of one. Solvent is mainly used for removing other materials from media and solute is when two materials are completely blended together

Resources: Zieger, Herman E. "Solvent." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2011. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.

Read, William T. "Solution." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2011. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.