Final answer:
Polar and ionic substances dissolve in water because water is a polar solvent that can interact with and stabilize these types of molecules through dipole-dipole and ion-dipole interactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Water is often referred to as the universal solvent because it has the ability to dissolve many different substances. Among the options provided, the substances that would dissolve in water are polar and ionic substances. This is because water is a polar molecule, meaning it has slight positive and negative charges which allow it to interact effectively with other polar and charged particles.
This solvent capability is crucial for life processes, as water makes up more than 60% of the human body and is necessary for most of the body’s chemical reactions. Ionic compounds dissolve in water through the attraction between the ions and the polar water molecules, creating a sphere of hydration. Similarly, polar molecules dissolve due to dipole-dipole interactions with water. However, nonpolar substances, which do not share these characteristics, do not dissolve well in water.