The solute and solvent in "Amalgam of mercury with sodium" are

The correct answer is Option (2) → Solute: Liquid and Solvent: Solid

A sodium amalgam is a special type of alloy where mercury is combined with sodium. In chemistry, this is classified as a solid solution.

• Mercury ($Hg$): This is a liquid metal at room temperature. In the formation of this specific amalgam, it is typically present in a smaller proportion. Therefore, it acts as the solute.
• Sodium ($Na$): This is a solid metal at room temperature. It acts as the solvent because it forms the bulk of the solid matrix in which the mercury atoms are dispersed.

Physical States

1. Solute: Liquid (Mercury)
2. Solvent: Solid (Sodium)

This falls under the category of a Liquid-Solid solution, which is a type of solid solution.

The correct answer is: Solute: Liquid and Solvent: Solid