Dissolving refers to the process of a solid, liquid, or gas solute dissolving in a liquid solvent to form a homogeneous mixture called a solution. The ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent depends on the chemical and physical properties of both the solute and the solvent. Water is a polar solvent, meaning it has a partial positive charge on one end of the molecule and a partial negative charge on the other end. This allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with other polar molecules or molecules that have hydrogen atoms bonded to electronegative atoms. Substances that can form hydrogen bonds with water are generally soluble in water.