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MedHopeful234

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This might seem like a stupid question but do gases "dissolve" other gases? and can gases be considered solvents?

I'm asking because of this question:

What does the phrase "like dissolves like" mean?
C is the correct answer (polar solvents dissolve polar solutes and nonpolar solvents dissolve nonpolar solutes).
Easy but what about D: Solvents which are gases can dissolve other gases

which part is incorrect: the fact that solvents are NOT considered gases or that gases are NOT able to dissolve other gases (rather they form mixtures)?

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Like dissolves like mean nonpolar solvents will dissolve nonpolar solutes. Polar solvents will dissolve polar solutes.
 
"If the solvent is a gas, only gases are dissolved under a given set of conditions. An example of a gaseous solution is air (oxygen and other gases dissolved in nitrogen). Since interactions between molecules play almost no role, dilute gases form rather trivial solutions. In part of the literature, they are not even classified as solutions, but addressed as mixtures"

^from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution

This makes it seem like gases can dissolve other gases and can be considered as solvents. The statement in choice E is a true statement, but it isn't the answer because it does not answer the question. The question is only asking about "like dissolves like," which only refers to the polar/nonpolar stuff. It doesn't refer to the solvent or solute phase.
 
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