Which solvent is characterized by having a significant dipole moment?

Study for the 2025 QRC Chemist Evaluation Exam. Prepare with flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and detailed explanations. Get exam-ready now!

A polar solvent is characterized by having a significant dipole moment due to its molecular structure, which results in an uneven distribution of electron density. This uneven distribution creates areas of partial positive and negative charges within the molecule, making polar solvents particularly effective at dissolving ionic and other polar substances. The dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative charges in a molecule, and in polar solvents, this separation is significant enough to influence their physical and chemical properties.

In contrast, organic solvents can include both polar and non-polar solvents, meaning they do not necessarily exhibit a significant dipole moment by default. Non-polar solvents lack the charge separation required to create a dipole moment, as their electron density is evenly distributed. Saturated solvents refer to solvents that have dissolved the maximum amount of solute at a given temperature, and this term does not imply anything about their polarity or dipole moment. Thus, the defining characteristic of a polar solvent having a significant dipole moment makes it the correct choice in this context.

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