November 24, 2024, 01:52:27 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Alcohol as a Solvent  (Read 5587 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Sis290025

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 206
  • Mole Snacks: +13/-17
  • Gender: Female
  • Thou shall not fall.
Alcohol as a Solvent
« on: February 02, 2006, 08:24:15 PM »
The rubbing alcohol sold in drug stores often is composed of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. In this solution

  a. both water and isopropyl alcohol are solvents.    
  b. neither water nor isopropyl alcohol is a solvent.    
  c. water is the solvent.    
 d. isopropyl alcohol is the solvent.
Correct? Thanks.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2006, 08:25:11 PM by Sis290025 »

Offline Cupro Chlorous

  • Regular Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 22
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-4
  • I'm a mole!
Re:Alcohol as a Solvent
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2006, 08:37:07 PM »
Hmm...

I think in this case the alcohol is the solvent because there is more of it.

Offline jdurg

  • Banninator
  • Retired Staff
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1366
  • Mole Snacks: +106/-23
  • Gender: Male
  • I am NOT a freak.
Re:Alcohol as a Solvent
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2006, 10:05:05 PM »
Hmm...

I think in this case the alcohol is the solvent because there is more of it.

Indeed.  When you have a mixture of two miscible liquids, the one that is present in the higher concentration is generally considered the solvent.
"A real fart is beefy, has a density greater than or equal to the air surrounding it, consists

Offline pantone159

  • Mole Herder
  • Chemist
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 492
  • Mole Snacks: +54/-6
  • Gender: Male
  • A mole of moles doesn't smell so nice...
    • Go Texas Soccer!!
Re:Alcohol as a Solvent
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2006, 12:01:50 PM »
Unless your logic is: 'The thing you want is the solute, and the inert component you don't care about is the solvent'
in which case water is the solvent.

I call this one ambiguous.


Offline jdurg

  • Banninator
  • Retired Staff
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1366
  • Mole Snacks: +106/-23
  • Gender: Male
  • I am NOT a freak.
Re:Alcohol as a Solvent
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2006, 02:05:09 PM »
Unless your logic is: 'The thing you want is the solute, and the inert component you don't care about is the solvent'
in which case water is the solvent.

I call this one ambiguous.



But in the case of the alcohol problem listed above, it is simply not correct to call the water the solvent.  Based on the definition of what a solvent is, water could not be considered the solvent there.   ;D
"A real fart is beefy, has a density greater than or equal to the air surrounding it, consists

Sponsored Links