Both a soft drink and the atmosphere we breathe are properly called solutions. For each, state why this is true, and also state the solvent for each.

When we talk about solutions in chemistry, what we're really referring to are homogeneous mixtures. By definition, a mixture is 'homogeneous' when its components are uniformly distributed throughout the substance. This means that, no matter how small a sample you take from the mixture, its composition will be the same as that of any other sample. A soft drink exemplifies this perfectly.

It's hard to imagine, but that fizzy beverage is a scientific marvel of consistent taste because each sip contains the same proportion of water, sugar, flavorings, and carbon dioxide. Now, looking at the atmosphere, we see a much larger, boundless example of a homogeneous mixture. Just like in a soft drink, the various gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide are mixed so well that every breath we take has the same proportion of these gases, providing a constant experience regardless of where we are (at least within the breathable layers of the atmosphere).

At the heart of any solution, we find two key players: the solute and the solvent. The solute is the substance that dissolves, and the solvent is the substance that does the dissolving. They come together to form the solution, where the solute distributes evenly throughout the solvent.Take the soft drink again, for example. Sugar and flavorings are solutes, vanishing seamlessly into water, the solvent, which in turn carries them throughout the entire drink. It's like a magical disappearing act where the solutes transform from their original form into a uniform distribution within the solvent.

In the case of our atmosphere, the most abundant gas, nitrogen, serves as the solvent, with other gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide playing the role of solutes. Despite gases being invisible to our eyes, they dissolve into one another, much like sugar does in water, creating a uniform mixture that we experience with every inhale and exhale.

Solutions come in various physical states—gas, liquid, and solid—and it's an incredible display of chemical versatility. Most often, when people think of solutions, they picture a liquid. However, solutions can take form in any state of matter.

A soft drink is a classic liquid solution, formed as various solutes like sugar and carbon dioxide dissolve in water. But not all solutions are so visible or even so tangible. The air around us is a gaseous solution, composed of different gases mingling together so well that we only notice them indirectly, such as when the wind blows.

Even solid solutions exist, such as alloys, where metals are mixed together to create a uniform solid that retains the properties of both individual substances. The key takeaway is that solutions can be formed in any state, and their behavior and principles remain consistent across these different physical experiences.