Like Dissolves Like

DISSOLVING (<---- CLICK FOR MORE INFO)
1. To change a solid into liquid form (melt).
2. To cause to disappear or vanish (dispel).
3. To break into component parts (disintegrate).


In this figure, you see a solvent, aka water, dissolving salt, a solute.

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LIKE DISSOLVES LIKE (<---- CLICK FOR MORE INFO)
"like dissolves like" is an expression used by chemists to remember how some solvents work. It refers to "polar" and "nonpolar" solvents and solutes.

Example: Water is polar. Oil is non polar. Water(H2O) will not dissolve oil. Water is polar. Salt (NaCl) is polar. Like dissolves like so polar dissolves polar so water dissolves salt.