This is a classic 'First Principles' General Science question. It tests the fundamental 'Why' behind a common fact (Water = Universal Solvent). While thermal properties (B, C) are true, they don't explain solubility. The key lies in distinguishing between a substance's thermal behavior and its molecular interaction mechanism.
How this question is built
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements.
Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
Statement 1
Does water's dipolar (polar) nature explain why water dissolves more substances than any other liquid?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs
Fairness: CA heavy
Web-answerable
"Water, which not only dissolves many compounds but also dissolves more substances than any other liquid, is considered the universal solvent. A polar molecule with partially-positive and negative charges, it readily dissolves ions and polar molecules."
Why this source?
- Explicitly calls water the "universal solvent" that "dissolves more substances than any other liquid."
- States water is "a polar molecule with partially-positive and negative charges" and that it "readily dissolves ions and polar molecules," linking polarity to dissolving ability.
"Generally speaking, water is good at dissolving ions and polar molecules, but poor at dissolving nonpolar molecules. Water molecules are polar, with partial positive charges on the hydrogens, a partial negative charge on the oxygen, and a bent overall structure."
Why this source?
- Explains that water is polar with partial charges on H and O, giving the molecular basis for polarity.
- States water is good at dissolving ions and polar molecules but poor at dissolving nonpolar molecules, tying polarity to selective dissolving behavior.
"At the molecular level, salt dissolves in water due to electrical charges and due to the fact that both water and salt compounds are polar, with positive and negative charges on opposite sides in the molecule."
Why this source?
- Gives a concrete example: salt dissolves in water "due to electrical charges" and because both water and salt are polar/ionic.
- Shows how polarity/electrical charge interactions (water surrounding ions) cause dissolution of ionic compounds.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > 9.1 What Are Solute, Solvent, and Solution? > p. 135
Strength: 4/5
“A uniform mixture, such as that of salt or sugar, and water, is called a solution. Whenever a solid is mixed with a liquid to form a solution, the solid component is called the solute, and the liquid component is called the solvent. The solute dissolves in the solvent to form a solution (Fig. 9.3). When a solution is formed by mixing two liquids, it is not always clear which substance is dissolving the other. In such cases, the substance present in smaller amount is called the solute, while the one in larger amount is called the solvent. We know air is a mixture.”
Why relevant
Defines solvent/solute and gives examples of solids (salt, sugar) dissolving in water, showing water commonly acts as a solvent.
How to extend
A student can combine this with the general chemistry rule that 'like dissolves like' (polar solvents dissolve polar solutes) to hypothesize a role for water's polarity in dissolving many substances.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Probe and ponder > p. 134
Strength: 5/5
“9
• z What do you think is happening in the picture above?• z What happens when you add too much sugar to your tea and it stops dissolving? How can you solve this problem?• z Why do sugar and salt dissolve in water but not in oil? Why is water considered a good solvent?• z Why are water bottles usually tall and cylindrical in shape instead of spherical?
Share your questions
134”
Why relevant
Asks explicitly 'Why do sugar and salt dissolve in water but not in oil? Why is water considered a good solvent?', pointing to a contrast between water and oil as solvents.
How to extend
A student can use the contrast (water vs oil) plus basic knowledge that oil is nonpolar to infer that water's differing properties (e.g., polarity) underlie its greater ability to dissolve ionic/polar solutes.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Snapshots > p. 149
Strength: 3/5
“• A solution is said to be formed when two or more substances mix to form a uniform mixture.• In the solution formed by dissolving a solid in a liquid, the solid component is known as a solute and the liquid component is known as a solvent.• In a solution formed by mixing two liquids, the component present in less quantity is known as solute and the other component is called solvent.• In air, nitrogen is considered as a solvent, while oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and other gases are considered as solutes.• A solution in which the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved, and no more of it can be dissolved at that temperature is called a saturated solution.• A solution in which more solute can be dissolved at a given temperature is called an unsaturated solution.• Solubility is the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved in a fixed quantity (100 mL) of a solution or a solvent at a particular temperature.• Generally, in liquids, the solubility of solids increases and that of gases decreases with an increase in temperature.• The amount of matter present in an object is known as its mass.• The space occupied by an object or a substance is known as its volume.• Devices used to measure mass and volume are a weighing balance and a measuring cylinder, respectively.• The mass per unit volume of a substance is known as its density (Density = Mass/Volume).• Generally, density decreases with an increase in temperature and pressure affects density differently depending on the state of matter.”
Why relevant
Summarises solubility concepts, including that solubility of solids in liquids generally increases with temperature and defines 'good solvent' behavior in examples.
How to extend
A student can apply these general solubility rules along with the idea that water dissolves many substances to investigate whether polarity correlates with higher solubility in water versus other liquids.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter > Activity 7.7: Let us observe > p. 108
Strength: 3/5
“Since the volume of the solution is less than the sum of the volumes of water and sugar, it indicates that there is some space between the water particles. The particles of the dissolved substance occupy these spaces (Fig. 7.11). Repeat the Activity 7.7 with some other soluble solids, such as common salt or glucose, and insoluble solids, like sand and stone pieces. What do you observe in each case? Do the sand particles dissolve? Does the volume of water in the vessel change after mixing, and why? Sugar and sand are both solids. Why does sugar dissolve in water but sand does not?”
Why relevant
Explains that dissolved particles occupy spaces between water particles and contrasts soluble (sugar) and insoluble (sand) solids in water.
How to extend
A student can combine this observation with the idea that molecular interactions (attraction between water and solute) determine whether solute particles separate and occupy these spaces — consistent with a polarity-based explanation.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > What inspired Asima Chatterjee to work on medicinal plants? > p. 139
Strength: 2/5
“Chapter 9 — The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions 139 9.3 Solubility of Gases Many gases, including oxygen, dissolve in water. Oxygen dissolves in water only to a small extent. Even though present in minute quantities, it is this dissolved oxygen that sustains all aquatic life, including plants, fishes, and other organisms. Is the mixture of gases in water a uniform or non-uniform mixture? It is a uniform mixture because the gases dissolve evenly in water to form a solution. Does temperature affect the solubility of gases in liquids also? If so, how? It has been observed that the solubility of gases generally decreases as temperature increases.”
Why relevant
Notes that many gases (e.g., oxygen) dissolve in water but only to a small extent, showing solubility depends on the solute type and conditions.
How to extend
A student could use this to probe limits of water's solvent ability (e.g., polar vs nonpolar gases) and test whether polarity predicts solubility extent.
Statement 2
Does water being a good conductor of heat explain why water dissolves more substances than any other liquid?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs
Fairness: CA heavy
Web-answerable
"A polar molecule with partially-positive and negative charges, it readily dissolves ions and polar molecules."
Why this source?
- States that water dissolves more substances than any other liquid (universal solvent).
- Explains the cause: water is a polar molecule with partial positive and negative charges that readily dissolves ions and polar molecules.
"After the salt compounds are pulled apart, the sodium and chloride atoms are surrounded by water molecules... Once this happens, the salt is dissolved, resulting in a homogeneous solution."
Why this source?
- Describes the mechanism by which water dissolves ionic solids: water pulls ionic compounds apart and surrounds the ions.
- Shows dissolution is due to hydration of ions rather than any mention of heat conduction.
"Water molecules have a polar arrangement of oxygen and hydrogen atoms—one side (hydrogen) has a positive electrical charge and the other side (oxygen) had a negative charge. This allows the water molecule to become attracted to many other different types of molecules."
Why this source?
- Attributes water's excellent solvent properties to its chemical composition and polar arrangement of oxygen and hydrogen.
- Says the polar charges allow water molecules to become attracted to many other types of molecules, enabling dissolution.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Conduction > p. 282
Strength: 3/5
“• The heat transfer through conduction happens due to molecular activity in a conducting medium. There is no actual movement of the medium itself. Generally, denser materials like iron, and water are good conductors, and lighter mediums like air are bad conductors of heat.”
Why relevant
States that water is a relatively good conductor of heat (compared with air), giving a rule that water transfers thermal energy effectively.
How to extend
A student could combine this with the idea that faster heat distribution may affect dissolution rates (temperature-dependent solubility/kinetics) and compare with liquids known to be poorer thermal conductors.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter > Activity 7.7: Let us observe > p. 108
Strength: 4/5
“Since the volume of the solution is less than the sum of the volumes of water and sugar, it indicates that there is some space between the water particles. The particles of the dissolved substance occupy these spaces (Fig. 7.11). Repeat the Activity 7.7 with some other soluble solids, such as common salt or glucose, and insoluble solids, like sand and stone pieces. What do you observe in each case? Do the sand particles dissolve? Does the volume of water in the vessel change after mixing, and why? Sugar and sand are both solids. Why does sugar dissolve in water but sand does not?”
Why relevant
Explains dissolution microscopically: water particles have spaces that solute particles can occupy (particles of dissolved substance occupy spaces between water particles).
How to extend
Use this particle-based model plus knowledge of intermolecular forces to investigate whether thermal conductivity would influence the ability of solvent molecules to surround solute particles.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > What inspired Asima Chatterjee to work on medicinal plants? > p. 139
Strength: 4/5
“Chapter 9 — The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions 139 9.3 Solubility of Gases Many gases, including oxygen, dissolve in water. Oxygen dissolves in water only to a small extent. Even though present in minute quantities, it is this dissolved oxygen that sustains all aquatic life, including plants, fishes, and other organisms. Is the mixture of gases in water a uniform or non-uniform mixture? It is a uniform mixture because the gases dissolve evenly in water to form a solution. Does temperature affect the solubility of gases in liquids also? If so, how? It has been observed that the solubility of gases generally decreases as temperature increases.”
Why relevant
Notes that solubility (for gases) depends on temperature — solubility changes with temperature, linking thermal conditions to how much dissolves.
How to extend
Combine the temperature dependence of solubility with water's ability to conduct heat to assess whether thermal conduction could change local temperatures and thus solubility compared with other liquids.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Is Higher In The Northern Hemisphere > p. 369
Strength: 3/5
“Water has a high specific heat, meaning it takes more energy to increase the temperature of water compared to other substances (like land). More water means more time and energy are required to increase the temperature. So the southern hemisphere is much cooler.”
Why relevant
States that water has a high specific heat (thermal property), meaning it resists temperature change and stores heat differently than other media.
How to extend
A student could weigh the effects of high specific heat (temperature stability) versus thermal conductivity on dissolution (e.g., whether stable temperature aids steady solubility compared to rapid local heating/cooling).
Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Heat Transfer in Nature > In a Nutshell > p. 101
Strength: 3/5
“• There are three ways in which heat is transferred from one place to another — conduction, convection, and radiation.• The process of heat transfer from the hotter part of an object to a colder part is called conduction. In this process, particles do not move from their positions.• Materials that allow heat to pass through them easily are called good conductors of heat.• Materials that do not allow heat to pass through them easily are called poor conductors (insulators) of heat.• In solids, heat is mainly transferred through the process of conduction. In liquids and gases, heat is transferred by the process of convection.”
Why relevant
Defines conduction and distinguishes materials as good or poor conductors of heat, providing a general rule about heat transfer modes.
How to extend
Use this general rule to design comparisons: pick solvents with differing conduction properties and, with basic temperature/solubility data, test if better thermal conduction correlates with greater solubility.
Statement 3
Does water's high specific heat explain why water dissolves more substances than any other liquid?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs
Fairness: CA heavy
Web-answerable
"It is water's chemical composition and physical attributes that make it such an excellent solvent. Water molecules have a polar arrangement of oxygen and hydrogen atoms—one side (hydrogen) has a positive electrical charge and the other side (oxygen) had a negative charge. This allows the water molecule to become **[attracted to many other different types of molecules]**."
Why this source?
- Directly states why water is an excellent solvent: its chemical composition and polar arrangement (charges) allow attraction to many molecules.
- Attributes dissolution to polarity and the ability of water molecules to interact (via charges/hydrogen bonding) with ions and polar molecules — the mechanistic explanation for dissolving substances.
"Much of the unusual behavior of water is linked to hydrogen bonding. For example, the high heat capacity and heat of vaporization are due to the large energy input required to break up the hydrogen-bonded network to allow greater molecular movement."
Why this source?
- Links water's high heat capacity (specific heat) to the hydrogen-bonded network in water.
- Shows that high specific heat is an effect of hydrogen bonding, which is the same molecular feature invoked to explain solvent behavior in other passages — implying specific heat itself is not presented as the cause of solvation.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Is Higher In The Northern Hemisphere > p. 369
Strength: 4/5
“Water has a high specific heat, meaning it takes more energy to increase the temperature of water compared to other substances (like land). More water means more time and energy are required to increase the temperature. So the southern hemisphere is much cooler.”
Why relevant
Gives the definition and consequence of water's high specific heat: water requires more energy (and time) to change temperature than many other substances.
How to extend
A student could combine this with the known temperature-dependence of solubility to ask whether water's slow temperature change affects how much or how fast solutes dissolve compared with other liquids.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Safety first > p. 138
Strength: 5/5
“• z Now, heat the contents to 50 °C while stirring (Fig. 9.7).• z What happens to the undissolved baking soda?• z You will observe that it has dissolved.• z Continue adding more baking soda while stirring at this temperature until some solid baking soda remains undissolved.• z Again, heat the contents further to 70 °C while continuing to stir. What do you observe?• z The undissolved baking soda dissolves.• z What do you infer from this experiment? Water at 70 °C dissolves more baking soda than water at 50 °C. The amount of baking soda dissolved in water at 20 °C is even lesser.”
Why relevant
Shows a clear pattern: solubility of a solid (baking soda) in water increases with temperature (50 °C to 70 °C examples).
How to extend
Use this rule plus snippet 1 to evaluate whether water's resistance to temperature change would meaningfully alter solubility outcomes relative to a solvent whose temperature changes more readily.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > What inspired Asima Chatterjee to work on medicinal plants? > p. 139
Strength: 4/5
“Chapter 9 — The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions 139 9.3 Solubility of Gases Many gases, including oxygen, dissolve in water. Oxygen dissolves in water only to a small extent. Even though present in minute quantities, it is this dissolved oxygen that sustains all aquatic life, including plants, fishes, and other organisms. Is the mixture of gases in water a uniform or non-uniform mixture? It is a uniform mixture because the gases dissolve evenly in water to form a solution. Does temperature affect the solubility of gases in liquids also? If so, how? It has been observed that the solubility of gases generally decreases as temperature increases.”
Why relevant
States that gas solubility in water is temperature-dependent (generally decreases as temperature increases), showing that different classes of solutes respond differently to temperature.
How to extend
A student could test whether water's thermal inertia (from high specific heat) would lead to systematically different solubility behaviour for gases versus solids compared with other liquids.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter > Activity 7.7: Let us observe > p. 108
Strength: 4/5
“Since the volume of the solution is less than the sum of the volumes of water and sugar, it indicates that there is some space between the water particles. The particles of the dissolved substance occupy these spaces (Fig. 7.11). Repeat the Activity 7.7 with some other soluble solids, such as common salt or glucose, and insoluble solids, like sand and stone pieces. What do you observe in each case? Do the sand particles dissolve? Does the volume of water in the vessel change after mixing, and why? Sugar and sand are both solids. Why does sugar dissolve in water but sand does not?”
Why relevant
Explains a particle-level view: dissolved particles occupy spaces between water particles and contrasts soluble (sugar) and insoluble (sand) solids.
How to extend
Combine this with external molecular-level facts (e.g., solvent–solute interactions determine dissolution) to separate the role of water's thermal properties from its structural/interaction properties when judging the statement.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Some discussion points > p. 137
Strength: 3/5
“You might have observed that, initially, the salt completely dissolves in the water, forming a solution. After adding a few more spoons of salt, a stage comes when the added salt does not dissolve completely and the undissolved salt settles at the bottom. This indicates that the water can no longer dissolve any more salt because it has reached its limit. The solution in which more solute can be dissolved at a given temperature, is called an unsaturated solution (Fig. 9.5). However, when the solute stops dissolving and begins to settle at the bottom, the solution is called a saturated solution at that particular temperature (Fig.”
Why relevant
Describes saturation and that water has a maximum dissolving capacity at a given temperature (unsaturated vs saturated solutions).
How to extend
Use this to consider whether water's high specific heat (affecting how temperature changes) could alter the temperature at which saturation is reached compared with other solvents, rather than being a primary reason for broad solvent capability.
Statement 4
Does water being an oxide of hydrogen explain why water dissolves more substances than any other liquid?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs
Fairness: CA heavy
Web-answerable
"Water, which not only dissolves many compounds but also dissolves more substances than any other liquid, is considered the universal solvent. A polar molecule with partially-positive and negative charges, it readily dissolves ions and polar molecules."
Why this source?
- Explicitly calls water the 'universal solvent' that 'dissolves more substances than any other liquid.'
- Attributes this ability to water being a polar molecule with partially positive and negative charges, which enables dissolution of ions and polar molecules.
- Mentions hydrogen bonding and formation of a hydration shell that keeps particles dispersed.
"Water molecules have a polar arrangement of oxygen and hydrogen atoms—one side (hydrogen) has a positive electrical charge and the other side (oxygen) had a negative charge. This allows the water molecule to become attracted to many other different types of molecules."
Why this source?
- Links water's solvent power to its chemical composition: the polar arrangement of oxygen and hydrogen atoms.
- Explains the resulting partial positive (hydrogen) and partial negative (oxygen) charges make water attracted to many other molecules, supporting dissolution.
"salt dissolves in water due to electrical charges and due to the fact that both water and salt compounds are polar, with positive and negative charges on opposite sides in the molecule."
Why this source?
- Explains at the molecular level why ionic compounds like salt dissolve in water: electrical charges and polarity of water interact with ions.
- Describes how water's polarity and interaction with ions (surrounding them) lead to dissolution of ionic/polar substances.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 8: Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures > 8.3.2 Compounds > p. 124
Strength: 5/5
“Why cannot we separate hydrogen and oxygen present in water by physical means? In water, the particles of hydrogen and oxygen are so tightly attached to each other that it is generally impossible to separate them apart using physical methods. That is why water is a compound. Compounds are formed when different elements combine in fixed ratios to form something entirely new. The properties of compounds are different from those of elements forming that compound. The constituent elements of a compound cannot be separated by any physical method. From Activity 8.3, we find that molecules of water are made of two different elements: hydrogen and oxygen (Fig.”
Why relevant
Defines water as a compound of hydrogen and oxygen and notes compounds have properties different from constituent elements.
How to extend
A student can combine this with basic external facts (e.g., molecular shape and polarity of H2O) to explore whether the H–O composition gives solvent properties that promote dissolving many substances.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter > Activity 7.7: Let us observe > p. 108
Strength: 4/5
“Since the volume of the solution is less than the sum of the volumes of water and sugar, it indicates that there is some space between the water particles. The particles of the dissolved substance occupy these spaces (Fig. 7.11). Repeat the Activity 7.7 with some other soluble solids, such as common salt or glucose, and insoluble solids, like sand and stone pieces. What do you observe in each case? Do the sand particles dissolve? Does the volume of water in the vessel change after mixing, and why? Sugar and sand are both solids. Why does sugar dissolve in water but sand does not?”
Why relevant
Explains that there is space between water particles and that dissolved particles occupy these spaces — a physical picture of how solutes mix with water.
How to extend
Use this with outside knowledge about intermolecular forces (e.g., attraction between water and solute molecules) to judge whether water’s structure favors dissolution.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Snapshots > p. 149
Strength: 4/5
“• A solution is said to be formed when two or more substances mix to form a uniform mixture.• In the solution formed by dissolving a solid in a liquid, the solid component is known as a solute and the liquid component is known as a solvent.• In a solution formed by mixing two liquids, the component present in less quantity is known as solute and the other component is called solvent.• In air, nitrogen is considered as a solvent, while oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and other gases are considered as solutes.• A solution in which the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved, and no more of it can be dissolved at that temperature is called a saturated solution.• A solution in which more solute can be dissolved at a given temperature is called an unsaturated solution.• Solubility is the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved in a fixed quantity (100 mL) of a solution or a solvent at a particular temperature.• Generally, in liquids, the solubility of solids increases and that of gases decreases with an increase in temperature.• The amount of matter present in an object is known as its mass.• The space occupied by an object or a substance is known as its volume.• Devices used to measure mass and volume are a weighing balance and a measuring cylinder, respectively.• The mass per unit volume of a substance is known as its density (Density = Mass/Volume).• Generally, density decreases with an increase in temperature and pressure affects density differently depending on the state of matter.”
Why relevant
Gives general definitions of solution and solubility and notes how solubility of solids in liquids (and gases) depends on temperature.
How to extend
Combine with external knowledge about water’s thermal properties and hydrogen bonding to assess how these affect solubility compared with other liquids.
Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Metals and Non-metals > Activity 3.8 > p. 40
Strength: 3/5
“Most non-metals produce acidic oxides when dissolve in water. On the other hand, most metals, give rise to basic oxides. You will be learning more about these metal oxides in the next section.”
Why relevant
States that non-metals form acidic oxides in water while metals give basic oxides — showing that reactions of oxides with water produce characteristic aqueous species.
How to extend
A student could use this pattern to probe whether the 'oxide' nature of water (i.e., containing oxygen) enables specific acid–base interactions that increase its dissolving power.
Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Metals and Non-metals > Activity 3.10 > p. 43
Strength: 3/5
“Metals react with water and produce a metal oxide and hydrogen gas. Metal oxides that are soluble in water dissolve in it to further form metal hydroxide. But all metals do not react with water. Metal + Water → Metal oxide + Hydrogen Metal oxide + Water → Metal hydroxide Metals like potassium and sodium react violently with cold water. In case of sodium and potassium, the reaction is so violent and exothermic that the evolved hydrogen immediately catches fire. The reaction of calcium with water is less violent. The heat evolved is not sufficient for the hydrogen to catch fire.”
Why relevant
Describes metals reacting with water to form metal oxides/hydroxides, illustrating that water participates chemically (not just physically) with many substances.
How to extend
Combine with basic chemical knowledge (e.g., propensity for hydrogen bonding/ionization) to evaluate whether water’s composition makes such reactions and solvation more favorable than in other liquids.
Pattern takeaway:
UPSC Science questions often present multiple *true* statements as options (Water IS a good conductor relative to air; it DOES have high specific heat). The test is identifying which fact is the *causal mechanism* for the phenomenon in the question stem.
How you should have studied
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Directly solvable from basic NCERT Science (Class IX/XI Chemistry or Biology) concepts regarding the structure of water.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: General Science > Properties of Matter > Water. Specifically, the link between molecular structure (Polarity) and function (Solvent action).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize these Water Property-Function pairs: 1) Dipolar Nature/High Dielectric Constant → Universal Solvent (dissolves ions). 2) High Specific Heat → Climate Moderation (Land/Sea Breeze). 3) High Latent Heat of Vaporization → Cooling effect (sweating/transpiration). 4) Anomalous Expansion (Max density at 4°C) → Ice floats, aquatic life survives winter. 5) High Surface Tension → Spherical raindrops/Capillary action.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When studying a unique substance (Water, Carbon, Nitrogen), categorize its properties: Thermal (Heat), Chemical (Reactivity), and Physical (Density). The question asks for a 'Dissolving' cause, which is a chemical/molecular interaction, not a thermal one. Filter options by category.
Concept hooks from this question
👉 Solute, Solvent and Solution
💡 The insight
Understanding what solute and solvent mean is essential to discussing why a particular liquid dissolves a substance.
Core definitions are high-yield for objective and descriptive chemistry questions; they form the basis for discussing dissolution, miscibility and solution behaviour across topics like environmental chemistry and chemical industry processes. Mastery enables clear framing of questions about which component is solvent versus solute and comparison of solvent abilities.
📚 Reading List :
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > 9.1 What Are Solute, Solvent, and Solution? > p. 135
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Snapshots > p. 149
🔗 Anchor: "Does water's dipolar (polar) nature explain why water dissolves more substances ..."
👉 Saturation, Unsaturation and Solubility Limits
💡 The insight
Knowing that solutions have limits (saturated vs unsaturated) is necessary when evaluating claims about how much a solvent can dissolve.
High-yield for problem-solving and conceptual questions on concentration, preparation of solutions and industrial/biological processes; connects to thermodynamics and equilibrium topics and helps answer why adding more solute may not dissolve even in a 'good' solvent.
📚 Reading List :
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Some discussion points > p. 137
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Snapshots > p. 149
🔗 Anchor: "Does water's dipolar (polar) nature explain why water dissolves more substances ..."
👉 Temperature Dependence of Solubility (solids vs gases)
💡 The insight
Solubility changes with temperature differently for solids and gases, which affects how much of a substance a solvent like water can hold under varying conditions.
Important for physical chemistry and environmental questions (e.g., dissolved oxygen in water bodies), useful for explaining everyday phenomena and experimental procedure design; frequently tested in prelims and helpful in multi-disciplinary mains answers.
📚 Reading List :
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > What inspired Asima Chatterjee to work on medicinal plants? > p. 139
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > Snapshots > p. 149
🔗 Anchor: "Does water's dipolar (polar) nature explain why water dissolves more substances ..."
👉 Heat conduction and material conductivity
💡 The insight
Heat conduction is a material property describing how readily heat passes through a medium; water is listed among good conductors of heat.
Understanding thermal conductivity helps separate thermal properties from chemical properties when evaluating causal claims (e.g., whether heat transfer explains solubility). This concept links to thermodynamics, phase change, and material classification questions and helps eliminate false causal inferences in reasoning-based questions.
📚 Reading List :
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > Conduction > p. 282
- Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Heat Transfer in Nature > In a Nutshell > p. 101
🔗 Anchor: "Does water being a good conductor of heat explain why water dissolves more subst..."
👉 Particulate nature of matter and dissolution mechanism
💡 The insight
Dissolution is explained by particles of solvent having spaces that solute particles occupy, a particulate model for how solids dissolve in liquids.
Mastery of the particulate model is high-yield for explaining solubility, solution formation, and concentration phenomena across chemistry and physical geography; it supports answering questions that test mechanisms rather than superficial correlations.
📚 Reading List :
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter > Activity 7.7: Let us observe > p. 108
🔗 Anchor: "Does water being a good conductor of heat explain why water dissolves more subst..."
👉 Temperature dependence of solubility (especially gases)
💡 The insight
Solubility of gases in water varies with temperature; increases or decreases in temperature affect how much gas dissolves.
This concept is frequently tested in environmental science and physical chemistry contexts (e.g., dissolved oxygen in water, effects of warming). It connects to thermodynamics and hydrological processes and enables answering applied questions about aquatic life, pollution, and climate impacts.
📚 Reading List :
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions > What inspired Asima Chatterjee to work on medicinal plants? > p. 139
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Is Higher In The Northern Hemisphere > p. 369
🔗 Anchor: "Does water being a good conductor of heat explain why water dissolves more subst..."
👉 High specific heat of water
💡 The insight
Water's high specific heat is the property that makes it resist temperature change and is a major physical distinction between water and many other substances.
High-yield for geography and physical science questions: it explains ocean and coastal temperature buffering, links to heat budgets and climatic moderation, and provides context for thermal effects on aquatic systems and phase-change processes.
📚 Reading List :
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Is Higher In The Northern Hemisphere > p. 369
- Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 24: Hydrological Cycle (Water Cycle) > 24.3. Condensation > p. 329
🔗 Anchor: "Does water's high specific heat explain why water dissolves more substances than..."
High Dielectric Constant. This is the technical physics term often used interchangeably with 'Dipolar nature' to explain why water weakens the force between ions (like NaCl), allowing them to dissolve. If 'Dipolar' wasn't an option, 'High Dielectric Constant' would be the answer.
Category Matching. The phenomenon is 'Dissolving' (mixing/interaction of particles).
- Options B (Conductor) and C (Specific Heat) are THERMAL properties. They explain temperature change, not mixing.
- Option D (Oxide of Hydrogen) is a COMPOSITION fact (what it is made of), not a functional mechanism (how it works).
- Option A (Dipolar) describes a magnetic-like attraction (poles), which logically explains 'pulling' substances apart to dissolve them.
Environment & Pollution: Water's 'Universal Solvent' property is exactly why Water Pollution is so difficult to manage. It dissolves heavy metals, fertilizers, and microplastics easily, transporting them from source to sink (Ocean). This connects basic science to the Bio-accumulation/Bio-magnification themes in Ecology.