msolvente

Msolvente is a term used in chemistry and chemical engineering to denote the mass of solvent in a liquid mixture. It is typically used as a variable in mass-balance equations, mixture models, and process simulations, and it should not be confused with the mass of solute.

In a two-component system, the total mass m_total equals msolvente plus msolute. The mass fraction of solvent is w_solvent = msolvente / m_total. The number of moles is n_solvent = msolvente / M_solvent and n_solute = msolute / M_solute, so the mole fraction of solvent is x_solvent = n_solvent / (n_solvent + n_solute). Molality is defined as m = n_solute per kilogram of solvent, i.e., m = (msolute / M_solute) / (msolvente / 1000). If densities are known, the solvent volume can be approximated by msolvente / ρ_solvent, though volumes are not strictly additive in solutions.

Usage and origin: The term is not a universal standard; it appears in various language contexts (for example as masse du solvant in French texts) and in software input decks, where msolvente is used to denote the solvent component’s mass in the system. The symbol and exact definition may vary with the model or database, so it is important to consult the context to confirm its meaning and units.

See also: solvent, solute, solution, mass fraction, molality, Raoult's law, density.