What is enthalpy of solvation?
The formation of a solution involves the interaction of solute with solvent molecules. Many different liquids can be used as solvents for liquid solutions, and water is the most commonly used solvent. When water is used as the solvent, the dissolving process is called hydration. The interaction between water molecules and sodium ion is illustrated as one of the diagram below. This is a typical ion-dipole interaction. At the molecular level, the ions interact with water molecules from all directions in a 3-dimensional space. This diagram depicts the concept of interaction only. The above diagram also display hydrogen-bonding, dipole-dipole, ion-induced dipole, and dipole-induced dipole interactions. In the absence of these interactions, solvation takes place due to dispersion. Definitions of these terms are obvious from the diagrams. The meaning of the words used in the term also hints the nature of the interactions.
