Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid because

States that water is a relatively good conductor of heat (compared with air), giving a rule that water transfers thermal energy effectively.

A student could combine this with the idea that faster heat distribution may affect dissolution rates (temperature-dependent solubility/kinetics) and compare with liquids known to be poorer thermal conductors.

Explains dissolution microscopically: water particles have spaces that solute particles can occupy (particles of dissolved substance occupy spaces between water particles).

Use this particle-based model plus knowledge of intermolecular forces to investigate whether thermal conductivity would influence the ability of solvent molecules to surround solute particles.

Notes that solubility (for gases) depends on temperature — solubility changes with temperature, linking thermal conditions to how much dissolves.

Combine the temperature dependence of solubility with water's ability to conduct heat to assess whether thermal conduction could change local temperatures and thus solubility compared with other liquids.

States that water has a high specific heat (thermal property), meaning it resists temperature change and stores heat differently than other media.

A student could weigh the effects of high specific heat (temperature stability) versus thermal conductivity on dissolution (e.g., whether stable temperature aids steady solubility compared to rapid local heating/cooling).

Defines conduction and distinguishes materials as good or poor conductors of heat, providing a general rule about heat transfer modes.

Use this general rule to design comparisons: pick solvents with differing conduction properties and, with basic temperature/solubility data, test if better thermal conduction correlates with greater solubility.

Gives the definition and consequence of water's high specific heat: water requires more energy (and time) to change temperature than many other substances.

A student could combine this with the known temperature-dependence of solubility to ask whether water's slow temperature change affects how much or how fast solutes dissolve compared with other liquids.

Shows a clear pattern: solubility of a solid (baking soda) in water increases with temperature (50 °C to 70 °C examples).

Use this rule plus snippet 1 to evaluate whether water's resistance to temperature change would meaningfully alter solubility outcomes relative to a solvent whose temperature changes more readily.

States that gas solubility in water is temperature-dependent (generally decreases as temperature increases), showing that different classes of solutes respond differently to temperature.

A student could test whether water's thermal inertia (from high specific heat) would lead to systematically different solubility behaviour for gases versus solids compared with other liquids.

Explains a particle-level view: dissolved particles occupy spaces between water particles and contrasts soluble (sugar) and insoluble (sand) solids.

Combine this with external molecular-level facts (e.g., solvent–solute interactions determine dissolution) to separate the role of water's thermal properties from its structural/interaction properties when judging the statement.

Describes saturation and that water has a maximum dissolving capacity at a given temperature (unsaturated vs saturated solutions).

Use this to consider whether water's high specific heat (affecting how temperature changes) could alter the temperature at which saturation is reached compared with other solvents, rather than being a primary reason for broad solvent capability.

Defines water as a compound of hydrogen and oxygen and notes compounds have properties different from constituent elements.

A student can combine this with basic external facts (e.g., molecular shape and polarity of H2O) to explore whether the H–O composition gives solvent properties that promote dissolving many substances.

Explains that there is space between water particles and that dissolved particles occupy these spaces — a physical picture of how solutes mix with water.

Use this with outside knowledge about intermolecular forces (e.g., attraction between water and solute molecules) to judge whether water’s structure favors dissolution.

Gives general definitions of solution and solubility and notes how solubility of solids in liquids (and gases) depends on temperature.

Combine with external knowledge about water’s thermal properties and hydrogen bonding to assess how these affect solubility compared with other liquids.

States that non-metals form acidic oxides in water while metals give basic oxides — showing that reactions of oxides with water produce characteristic aqueous species.

A student could use this pattern to probe whether the 'oxide' nature of water (i.e., containing oxygen) enables specific acid–base interactions that increase its dissolving power.

Describes metals reacting with water to form metal oxides/hydroxides, illustrating that water participates chemically (not just physically) with many substances.

Combine with basic chemical knowledge (e.g., propensity for hydrogen bonding/ionization) to evaluate whether water’s composition makes such reactions and solvation more favorable than in other liquids.