Dissolution is when water or another liquid, known as a solvent, dissolves a material, called a solute. Liquids dissolve different materials because the liquids break down the materials and make them smaller. That’s why if you stir sugar in water, the sugar disappear. It doesn’t actually disappear, it just looks like it. The sugar is broken down into tiny pieces which human eyes can’t see. Things dissolve because they have a specific structure: the material has even tinier piece attached to it. This allows the solvent to break the material down easier. Dissolution is important in cooking (to release flavors of specific ingredients) and for cleaning things (breaking dirt down into smaller pieces). Materials dissolve everyday, all around us!
