Question

Ancient metalworkers in East Africa knew the secrets of strengthening their iron. They knew that if they melted their iron in a furnace fired with coal, then when it cooled and solidified it would be harder than the original iron. What really happened inside the hot furnace? Coal is a form of carbon, so when its heat melted the iron, tiny particles of carbon dissolved into the liquid iron. This formed a solution. When the mixture of carbon and iron cooled and solidified, it was much harder than the original iron. Since it was harder, it was much more useful for building things like tools and weapons. This solution of carbon dissolved in iron is called steel. Every time you use a tool made out of steel, you are benefiting from the discoveries of those ancient metalworkers from long ago. Read the description of how ancient metalworkers improved their iron. Then identify the solute and solvent by filling in the blanks. In steel, the solvent is and the solute is .

Answer 1

Answer is: in steel, the solvent is iron and the solute is the carbon.

Solution is homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances.

In the solution, the solute molecules interact with solvent molecules.

Solvent (usually a liquid, but can also be a solid or a gas) is a substance that dissolves a solute.  Iron is solvent because there is more iron than carbon and they are both solid state.

Solvent is always the same state of matter as the solution.

In ideal solution  the forces of attraction between the solute-solute and the solvent-solvent and solute-solvent molecules are the same.