Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid because

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it is dipolar in nature

it is a good conductor of heat

it has high value of specific heat

it is an oxide of hydrogen

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This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2021

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Water is often called the “universal solvent” because it can dissolve a wide variety of substances. This ability is primarily due to its dipolar nature. The water molecule (H₂O) has a bent shape with the oxygen atom having a partial negative charge and the two hydrogen atoms having partial positive charges. This creates a polar molecule with distinct positive and negative ends. These charged ends can attract and interact with the charged or partially charged parts of other molecules, effectively surrounding and separating them (solvation), thus dissolving them.

– Water is a polar molecule due to unequal sharing of electrons between oxygen and hydrogen atoms.
– The polarity creates partial positive and negative charges on the molecule (dipole).
– The dipolar nature allows water to form hydrogen bonds and to effectively hydrate and dissolve other polar and ionic substances.

While water’s high specific heat and other properties are important for various natural processes, they are not the reason for its dissolving capacity. Being an oxide of hydrogen describes its chemical composition but not the mechanism of solvation. Water’s polarity is key to its role as a solvent in biological systems and the environment.

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