Introduction

Solutions have properties that make them very useful in everyday life. The stainless steel used in many things you see around you is a solid solution of iron with some chromium dissolved in it. The presence of chromium protects the iron from corrosion. Tincture of iodine, the antiseptic you may have used on wounds, is a solution made up of alcohol with iodine crystals.

Sugar solutions are used in beverages and drinks. Saline solutions extend the shelf life of fermented vegetables and fruits. Tea and lemonade are solutions that are dissolved in water. Some minerals that plants need from the soil are absorbed by the plants only in solutions. Important processes like electrolysis, fermentation, and osmosis take place in solutions.