Final answer:
A solvent is a substance that can dissolve other substances to form a solution, whereas a solute is the substance that is being dissolved.
Step-by-step explanation:
A solvent is a substance that can dissolve other substances to form a solution. It is typically a liquid, such as water, that has the ability to dissolve solutes. For example, when salt is added to water, the water acts as a solvent and dissolves the salt particles.
A solute, on the other hand, is the substance that is being dissolved. It is typically a solid or liquid that is dissolved in a solvent to create a solution. In the example above, salt is the solute that gets dissolved in water.
So, to summarize, a solvent is the substance that does the dissolving, and a solute is the substance that gets dissolved.
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