Solute (source code)

= Solute

A <solute> is a component of a <chemical solution> distinguished from its <solvent>, typically present in a smaller proportion. There can be several <solutes>. A <concentration> must name both what is counted and the denominator: <molar concentration> uses <amount of substance> per final <chemical solution> <volume (thermodynamics)>; a solute-to-solvent <mass> ratio has another denominator.<Chemistry 2e by Paul Flowers and others/3.3 Molarity>[Chemistry 2e, §3.3, Solutions: solute convention and molarity denominator]{ref}

“Added <sodium chloride>” and “dissolved <sodium> <cations>” describe different levels of the same inventory. <Dissociation of an ionic compound> changes the grouping of the particles; it preserves their <chemical elements>. A dissolved <ion> remains an <ion>, and dissolved <sucrose> remains molecular unless a separate <chemical reaction> occurs. Thus the name of the weighed <solute> need not be the name of every dissolved <chemical species>.