solvent use?

[mr. piper]

in what vessel would you keep an ultimate solvent, and would it have to be a liquid to qualify as one? or could the same criterior the means it is a solvent be an energy source?

[jake-the-peg]

You're not into pentangles and stuff are you?

The alkahest or "universal solvent" was the holy grail (groan at mixed metaphor) of the alchemists!

[jake-the-peg]

OK, I was a bit flippant the other day. Let's see if I can give you a better answer.

Firstly there is a difference between a solvent when a solid (typically) is broken up and it's constituent parts distributed in the solvent, and something like an acid where an actual chemical reaction occurs.

For example if you dissolve salt in water and then boil away the water you're left with the salt. "Disolve" metal in acid and try the same trick and you won't get the metal back as a bright shiny bar.

Still in looking for the "universal solvent" alchemists discovered things like sulphuric acid.

In order for something to disolve the molecules of the solid must be less strongly attracted to each other than they are to the solvent.

Water is a great solvent because, slightly strangely it is a v shape with the 2 hydrogen atoms at the ends and the oxygen atom at the point. This means that it tends to have a slight charge seperation which gives it a great attraction for certain materials which are held together by bonds based on charge seperation such as salt.

In general like tends to disolve like that is why things like ethanol are good solvents for organic compounds which are held together by a different type of bond.

So as you see the ultimate solvent is a myth but if it did exist I would keep it frozen solid.

No a solvent does not need to be a liquid, we are all familiar with the concept of humidity this is basically water dissolved in air.

As for the last question I'm afraid you've lost me I don't know how a solvent could be an energy source. 

[mr. piper]

thanks JAKE, that nonsense at the end came out all wrong, sorry, what i was getting at is that if a solvent works by breaking the bonds in molecules, could this not be done by an energy source (in a very tenuous example like transporters in star trek)

[jake-the-peg]

Sure we call it boiling or evaporation ;c)