What is the solvent in a liquid-liquid solution?

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1 Answer
Truong-Son N.
May 18, 2018

It is just the one in greater mol quantity.

If a solution consists of #chi_(EtOH) = 0.0230# of ethanol and #chi_(H_2O) = 0.9770# of water, then water is the solvent, where #chi_i# is the mol fraction, the mols of liquid #i# divided by the total mols:

#chi_i = n_i/(n_1 + n_2 + . . . )#

Levine might call this an "ideally-dilute solution".

On the other hand, if the mol fractions are both equal, i.e. if #chi_(EtOH) = chi_(H_2O)#, it's your choice which one is the solvent.

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