Question

Which one of the following is called amphoteric solvent?
(A) Ammonium hydroxide
(B) Chloroform
(C) Benzene
(D) Water

Answer 1

There are three types of solvents according to their chemical properties such as acidic, basic and amphoteric. Basic substances are easily dissolved in acidic solvents, acidic substances are easily dissolved in basic solvents. While amphoteric solvents are those which show the characteristic properties (chemical properties) of both acidic and basic solvents.

Complete answer:
We know that there are three types of solvents according to their chemical properties such as acidic, basic and amphoteric in nature. So, as the base reacts with acids we can find the nature of solvents according to their reactivity.
Now, we will discuss all the given solvents one by one and discuss about their nature:
(A) Ammonium hydroxide
Ammonium hydroxide forms a basic solution and hence, it is a basic solvent.
(B) Chloroform
Chloroform is a non-polar solvent and does not behave as amphoteric.
(C) Benzene
Benzene is a non-polar solvent and does not behave as amphoteric.
(D) Water
Water is acidic in nature because it can donate a proton $({H^ + })$ and it can accept a proton to form ${H_3}{O^ + }$ and behaves as a base.
So, water can act both as an acid and a base. Therefore, it is considered as an amphoteric solvent.
Hence, the correct option is (D) Water.

Note:
So we can define amphoteric solvents as those solvents which can both donate and accept the hydrogen ion. Some examples of amphoteric solvents are amino acids, water, proteins and many metal oxides and hydroxides. Hydroxides and oxides of metalloids are generally amphoteric in nature.