Final answer:
C) Hydration shell
If something is soluble in water, it forms a hydration shell around it, which is important for stabilizing the aqueous solution. The correct term for this is a hydration shell.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a substance is soluble in water, a hydration shell forms around it, and it is termed a solution. The correct answer to the question is C) Hydration shell.
This process involves water molecules surrounding the solute ions or molecules and the formation of numerous ion-dipole interactions that stabilize the aqueous solution and prevent the recombination of the ions, which would lead to the formation of a precipitate.
Water as a solvent is particularly effective due to its polar nature, which allows for the solvation process to occur more readily with ionic compounds and polar molecules.