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What makes water an excellent solvent?
On May 05, 2024
The polarity of the water molecule and its ability to form hydrogen bonds make water an excellent solvent.
Ionic solids dissolve in water because the slight positive charge on each hydrogen atom in a water molecule attracts negatively charged ions and the slight negative charge on the oxygen atom attracts positively charged ions. Hydrogen bonds among many water molecules are collectively stronger than an ionic bond between two ions, so the solid dissolves as water molecules tug the ions apart and surround each one.