What is a Solution

A solution is a type of homogeneous mixture that is made up of two or more substances. A (homogeneous mixture) is a type of mixture with a uniform composition. This means that the substances cannot be distinguished easily from one another.

Some examples of solutions are salt water, rubbing alcohol, and sugar dissolved in water. When you look closely, upon mixing salt with water, you can't see the salt particles anymore, making this a homogeneous mixture.

There are two main parts of solution. These are:

* Solute: this is the substance that makes up the minority of the solution, or this is the part that is dissolved. In our example of salt water, the solute is the salt.
* Solvent: this is the substance that makes up the majority of the solution. This is the part where the solute is dissolved. In our example of salt water, the solvent is water.

When we think about solutions, the first thing we think about is a substance dissolved in water. This is natural because after all, water is the universal solvent. However, solutions are not limited to the liquid phase.