"Like dissolves like."
This means that:
* Polar solvents (like water) dissolve polar solutes (like sugar) because they have similar intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonds, dipole-dipole interactions).
* Non-polar solvents (like oil) dissolve non-polar solutes (like grease) because they also have similar intermolecular forces (London dispersion forces).
This principle is based on the fact that for a solute to dissolve in a solvent, the energy released when the solute-solvent interactions form must be greater than the energy required to break the solute-solute and solvent-solvent interactions.
In simpler terms, substances with similar chemical properties are more likely to mix and dissolve together.
