What physical properties of water cause it to be such a good solvent?

1 Answer
Jan 9, 2018

Well (i) high boiling point.....

Explanation:

...for such a small molecule, i.e. #18*g*mol^-1#, water has a ridiculously high boiling point of #100# #""^@C#. And (ii) this also gives us a very useful range of temperature. And (iii) because water is polar, i.e. charge-separated....#stackrel(delta^+)H-stackrel(delta^-)O-stackrel(delta^+)H#, water is a superb solvent for separation of ions....

Most solutes have some solubility in water....