Solvation & Water
- A solution typically consists of a solute dissolved in a solvent
- Water is a very good solvent because it is dipolar
- The hydrogen side of the molecule is slightly positive while the oxygen side is slightly negative
- This enables water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with other polar solute molecules and ions
- Hydrogen bonding between water molecules is also considered at the start of the course, the notes can be found here
- The interaction between a solvent, such as water, and a solute is known as solvation
Hydrogen bond and electron arrangement in water diagram
Water molecules are dipolar because electrons are distributed unevenly between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms
- Polar solvents, such as water, can orientate themselves towards polar solutes and ions to form hydrogen bonds or ion-dipole forces
- This creates hydration shells around each solute particle
Dipolar nature of water diagram
The dipole nature of water molecules allow them to form hydration shells around polar solutes and ions