Match the term to definition: water's polarity and ability to dissolve many solutes.

• A. Universal Solvent
• B. Capillary Action
• C. Adhesion
• D. Water Molecule

Answer: (A)

Water’s polarity gives it the power to dissolve many solutes. The molecule has a bent shape with partial charges: oxygen is slightly negative, hydrogens are slightly positive. This lets water surround and stabilize charged particles and polar molecules, forming hydration shells that pull solutes apart and keep them in solution. That broad dissolving ability is why it’s called the universal solvent. Of course, nonpolar substances like oils don’t dissolve well because they don’t interact favorably with water’s polarity. The other terms describe different properties (how water moves through narrow spaces, attraction to surfaces, or the basic molecule itself) and don’t capture this dissolving capacity.